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OF 



SAKAII J. CUMMINS 




Sarah J. Guinmiits 
Aged 86 Years, Now Living at Weston, Oregon 



NOTE— While this booklet is compiled from notes and 
reminiscences that tend to give it the tenor of a family 
memoir, nevertheless it will be of interest to all who are 
and have been connected with the early history of the 
Northwestern States. To defray expenses of printing- and 
provide comforts for her declining years the public will be 
supplied copies at 50 cents each. Address orders to Mrs. 
Cummins at Weston, Oregon Publishers. 



Copyright 1914, by Sarah J. Cummins 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



AND 



REMiNISCENCES 



OF 



Sarah J. Cummins 



ToucHET. Wash 




LA GRANDE PRINTING CO., 
E_A GRANDe, OREGON 

|5»RI tSSTERS 



F5fZ 

.en 



MAR -2 1914 



©C(.A362738 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCE. 

* 

Written foi' my dear childi'en and grandchildren, and 2kS 
many of my dear friends as may wish to read the story of the 
life and labors of one who braved the hardships and endured the 
suffering incident to the life of one who assists in making a home 
in a new and practically unexplored region such as the Will- 
amette valley was in the year of eighteen hundred and forty-five. 

SARAH J. CUMMINS. 



PATRIOTIC SENTIMENTS, JULY 4th, 190S. 



Being disappointed today in not going out with others to 
celebrate on this the one hundred and thirty-third anniversary 
of that great and notable day of victory won which brought 
freedom to our fathers, their wives and their children forever, 
I wish you to pause with me for just one moment and reflect 
on their great struggle, yes, think with deep and reverential awe 
on t^e trying scenes through which they passed while pursuing 
and achieving their precious boon of liberty. 

Then life your voices and shout the shout of victory and 
freedom; may we fail not to honor those brave soldiers, notable 
patriots and wise statesmen who made such blessings possible 
for us, and may we not fail in our duty of teaching our children 
to appreciate their present happy lot of living in a free land. 

I am now nearing the close of my earthly existence and as 
the shades of life's evening appear on the distant horizon, I 
glance over my past life and review the blessings and exper- 
iences and potent blessings which have ever encompassed my 
pathway, fully realizing that through it all there ever abides 
this one great source of thankfulness — that I have in each in- 
stance and under all circumstances so lived as to honor those 
noble founders of our great institution and by so teaching my 
sons and daughters to live that they honor not only my name 
and their own lives but also their sacred lives as law abiding 
citizens, and whatever may be their views of the questions of 
the day, or in whatever capacity they may be called upon to act 
may they never neglect their privilege of honoring the noble 
founders of our nation — our noble republic. 

May we all sing with a realizing sense of its beauty and 
grandeur of the theme, the words and sentiment contained in 
our national anthem, "Sweet Land of Liberty." It has always 
been a source of great pleasure to me to hear the children of our 
land sing of the "land where our fathers died; land of the pil- 
grim's pride." 



(4) 



REMINISCENT THOUGHT. 

Sitting alone and glancing over my past life, long and 
eventful as it has been, I recall many of its scenes of pioneer 
adventure that were marvelous manifestations of the power 
and goodness of God in protecting us in our travels through 
wild regions, inhabited by savages and the haunt of wild beasts. 

Yet we were kept and marvelously blest as we made our 
way over these wild deserts or through the untamed wilderness — 
yes, kept by the mercy of God as the "apple of his eye." 

I have decided to write out some important points as they 
occur to my mind or are copied from my diary as written in 
years long since gone by, that my children may have printed in 
book form if they choose to do so. I trust, however, that it will 
be for no motive greater than to preserve and keep alive the 
ever present truth of honest ancestry, honorable parentage, a true 
patriotic sentiment, and simple Christian faith as a rightful her- 
itage in the hearts of all those near and dear. 

Should any word of mine so inspire the hearts of any cas- 
ual reader of these lines as to create a desire for knowledge in 
regard to better things in matters either temporal or spiritual, 
then shall I have labored not in vain. 

To all who read this book I say may some gentle chord be 
touched, some noble inspiration given, or by its tone maj'- some 
deed of noble kindness be done. Or should these homely lines 
prove ample to beguile an idle hour or turn your hearts to seek 
for better things, then will I have been well repaid for the time 
and effort extended to this simple narrative. 

To each and to all of you I wish a hearty "God-speed" in 
the undertakings of your lives, and as we bid "hale and fare- 
well," let us extend to each other encouraging words or the help- 
ing hand that lifts the weary soul above the care and turmoil 
of life's weary round and brings the soul into the sunshine of 
nobler living. Let us extend the helping hand to a faltering one 
whose feet have forsaken the way of integrity, exerting that 
integrity and strength of will power and integrity of purpose 

(5) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

that aids the weak, uplifts the fallen and cheers that life whose 
way is through darker shades or on lines of lower level. 

It has ever been my delight to seek the needy, to visit the 
sick or afflicted. My little work in this world of that kind 
which the world calls charity has ever been in the way of helping 
the widows, the fatherless, or to those surrounding circum- 
stances appealing to the humane hearted. 

While performing these acts I have enjoyed the loving ap- 
probation of my dear Savior in a way that is not possible in any 
but true humility of heart; indeed I have found opportunity for 
the exercise of every available physical energy, and the distri- 
bution of all surplus money or goods that I possessed without 
going out of the environs of my own home, and never did such 
surplus exist in my possession but some heart could be found 
grateful and gladly accepting such favors, thus proving beyond 
controversy that where ever the desire to perform charitable 
deeds exists the opportunity is not wanting. 



(6) 



CHAPTER I. 

BIRTH AND EARLY CHILDHOOD. 

I was born on the sixteenth day of September, 1828, in the 
town of Sangamon, Sangamon county, Illinois. 

My great grandparents were all natives of England and 
came to America early in the seventeenth century; all the four 
families came at about the same time although it was many 
years later that the first acquaintance began between the two 
families who were among the first settlers in a region of terri- 
tory in the middle West. About two years later my father and 
mother were married at Oxford, Ohio. 

I will now trace the lineage of these Americanized families. 
Great grandfather, Lemuel Lemmon, was born in England and 
with his wife came to America to make their home in the young 
colony of Maryland, being among the first to settle in that col- 
ony. Great grandfather was a preacher of the Baptist church 
and respected by all who knew him as a quiet and industrious 
citizen. 

His eldest son, Lemuel Lemmon, who was born in England, 
married a Miss Sarah Burke of that colony, and several years 
later they moved to the territory of Kentucky where on June 
8th, 1800, John was born. 

In the year 1812 the unsettled condition of the country 
caused them, with many others to seek new homes in the ter- 
ritory of Ohio, where they settled on a fine tract of land near 
u.e town of Oxford, and a pleasant home was soon established. 
The older sons, Elisha, Elijah and Eulic, settled on lands of 
their own. My father, the youngest son, remained in the home 
after great grandfather's death and assumed the care of his 
Tnother, a maiden sister, Miss Mary Lemmon, known to us as 
Aunt Polly; later an orphaned neice, Sarah Baker, became a 
member of the family. Aunt Polly was an ideal old maid of 
former generations, and her prided virtues and womanly ways 
might well be emulated in this day and age of the world. She 
was known and loved by a large circle of friends and relatives. 

My maternal grandparents, the Bournes and the Crockers, 
came to America during the War of the Roses in England and 

(7) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

settled in Massachusetts. Great grandfather was born in what 
is now a part of Maine. His parents gave each of their child- 
ren the advantage of a good education, and their son, Benjamin, 
my grandfather, taught school for many years in Barnstable 
county, where he was married to Miss Elizabeth Bourn in the 
year of 1807. In June of 1808, my mother, Jane Bourn Crocker, 
was born. 

The War of 1812 came on, and as there were several sons in 
the families of my great uncles, and as the conditions were so 
unsettled that in consideration of the then aged great grand- 
mother Bourne, it was decided to remove to the then far West. 
The new home was selected near the town of Fairfield, Indiana, 
and as that town is just across the line from Oxford, Ohio, the 
two families were now in the vicinity of each other, although 
it was some time later that my father and mother met for the 
first time. 

In the year 1826 my father and mother were married in the 
home of my grandfather, Benjamin Crocker. Soon after that 
even they moved to the Territory of Illinois and settled on a 
rented farm near Sangamon town on the banks of the Illinois 
river. Here they cultivated a large tract of land and had 
planted a 40 acre field of corn which bid fair to yield a handome 
return but a sudden rise of the river washed the entire growing 
crop away and my father then moved into Sangamon town where 
he took charge of the large woolen mill of that town and traded 
his live stock and farm implements for a house and lot near the 
place of work. It was in this home that I was born. Father's 
wages were about thirty-seven and one-half cents a day, yet by 
economy and good management he soon had the means to pre- 
empt a good piece of land on the river and when I was about 
three years of age we moved to the new home where father be- 
gan farming extensively by renting a large field near our own 
land. 

I can give no exact date as to when my education in the way 
of book knowledge began for I was able to read anything in my 
Sabbath School lessons when four years of age, and it was my 
daily task to read and recite lessons in reading and spelling to 
my mother. Mother was a well educated woman of her time and 
a student of history and good literature. Our library consisted 
of two large Bibles, a dictionary, several histories, a set of school 
books, and my chest of Sunday School literature that had been 
sent to me from relatives in Massachusetts. Among these books 
were the writings of John and Charles Wesley, the Life of John 

(8) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

Newtoii, Milton's poems, and many tracts and other religious 
writings that I do not thinJc cf general interest. Mother divided 
my time as exact as the periods of work in a school and it was 
one hour for play and an hour for study regular as the moving- 
of the hands on the face of our old wall sweep clock. I was fond 
of chasing at father's heels as he plowed or went hoeing 
through the long rows of corn and well do I recall the mad rac- 
ing over the fields to get every possible minute of my play time 
in the fields, but the sound of the "Dinner Horn" was my signal 
and if I ran merrily out to play I came as promptly back in lov- 
ing obedience to mother's call to lessons. Thus the happy years 
went on until I assured them that I could make a "hand" at drop- 
ping corn and by that means I got the much coveted outdoor 
lifs and the release from study that had so often been the sub- 
ject of my thoughts. I must say that I was fond of study and 
even in those early years committed to memory gems of litera- 
ture that have been the source of much comfort to me even down 
to these later days of life, and no stronger characters are to be 
found in all the world's history than were those whose lives I 
traced through the study of Scriptural subjects. My Kings 
were real and my Queens ruled with judgment tempered with 
justice. Such were the ideals of my early education and I have 
never seen true greatness manifested in any other way. All 
the world's worship cannot make a truly great man where there 
is not the proper quality of heart to build upon. Such is my 
judgment of such characters as King David of Israel, King Ed- 
ward cf England, our George Washington, our Abmham Lin- 
coln, and in fact, every one whose life work is tempered with 
justice and whose feelings were merciful to their fellow creat- 
ures. 

But, to return to my story. In this home two sons were 
born to my parents, Benjamin and Amos. The death of these 
infant brothers left me as an only child until I was almost nine 
years of age. The loneliness that fell to us accounts in a meas- 
ure for the special care that was bestowed upon my early edu- 
cation. 

On July fourth my only living brother was born in the year 
1837. This brother was endeared to me by the care of his wel- 
fare that fell to me in his early life and by our association in 
times of peril and great suffering that was so early in life to 
befall us. The following chapters will give some account of 
these events. 

I will now give some description of the region where I first 

(9) 



r^:^:'^^*!^ 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

became acquainted with the beauties of nature and viewed the 
wondrous work of the Creator in placing so beautiful and so 
wonderful a world as the temporal abode of His children. This 
^aii; of the state of Illinois is of especial interest to the student 
of nature who delights in its gorgeous tints and its strangest 
moods. 

The Illinois River was the boundary on one side of our home 
and the hills or bluffs, as the people there called them, bounded 
the other side, standing back from the river a distance of from 
two and one-half to fifteen miles. The base of these hills was 
thick-set with a dense natural growth of Beanwood or "Red-bud," 
as we children called them, also Sassafras bushes, Black Walnut, 
Sugar Maple and an occasional copse of Sumac or Witch-hazel. 

The tops of the bald hills in the background rising in sugar- 
loaf form gave them a picturesque appearance upon which one 
could gaze without tiring. And especially was this true in the 
Spring of the year when budding and blooming shrubbery 
nestled at the base of every knoll giving a variety of shades of 
color in that harmony and blending that can be produced only by 
nature in her beautiful and wonderful perfection and which can 
never be reproduced but only partially imitated by even the 
most gifted of artists. 

Looking toward the river you may see it curving and bend- 
ing like some giant of creeping monsters until it apparently 
glides into the dim and distant haze, its course being outlined 
by the thickly set growth of large timber that skirted its banks. 
This timber consisted of Hickory, Black Walnut, Pecan, Per- 
simmon trees and groves of Sugar Maple. This timber grew in 
alluvial soil or sub-irrigated river filth and each specimen was 
a wonder in itself on account of the enormous size and beauty 
of perfection. 

The prairie land lay between these timbered banks and the 
foot hills. The intervening space of alluvial prairie soil was 
thick-set with a tall wild grass which very much resembled one 
vast meadow of Timothy grass. 

The wild deer were as numerous in those days as are the 
cattle of a thousand hills of today. Wild birds were also num- 
erous. Quails or Bob- Whites were hunted for the markets and a 
regular trade in dressed birds was carried on with the markets 
clown the river. The killing of birds and wild deer was the only 
source of income to many of the settlers, but my father never 
resorted to that means of incom.e and preferred to attend the 
regular lines of farm work, and results proved that his decision 

(10) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

was a wise one for we soon had a pleasant home and an abund- 
ant living. Father was a noted rifleman and when he went out 
for game we knew that some handsome quarry would grace his 
effort. 

Steamboats came occasionally to Beardstown but they did 
not make regular trips in those days and most of the traffic was 
carried in smaller boats managed by oarsmen. 

The work of civilization and improvement went steadily on 
and at a rapid rate. Neat homes were in evidence on every side, 
fields of growing corn, domestic animals, and all the mechanical 
accessories of refined life were being brought in. 

During these stages of the world's work I was advancing 
from the stages of juvenile life to that of girlhood. The reflect- 
ive mind recalls that period of my life as largely devoted to the 
climbing of Red-bud bushes and Sassafras trees in quest of their 
bloom laden boughs. The change from Spring to Autumn, the 
snows of winter and the chilling winds of early Spring seem to 
make but slightly varied impressions on my mind, as life through 
those years seemed to me to be one perpetual round of light- 
heartedness and the tablets of memory has recorded only one 
unvaried season of pleasureable delights. 

If the winds blew I heeded them not. In memory I seem to 
have been ever hugging profusions of flowers, admiring their 
beauty of coloring, delighting in their gorgeous hues, or bearing 
them tenderly in my arms to the home where it was my delight 
to adorn the living rooms for the admiration of my parents and 
they wisely enough encouraged this sort of innocent pastime, 
thereby cultivating in me a taste for the beautiful and fostering 
the tender emotions which those innocent pastimes awoke. 

Later in the Summer I made short excursions to the near-by 
hill tops in quest of delicious fruits. Strawberries, Blackberries, 
Wild Grapes and Plums, which were abundant and in conven- 
ient distances from our home. These were made into various 
forms for table use and were the luxuries of those times. 

Cultivated fruits were scarce as the orchards of the 
earlier settlers were just beginning to bear fruit, although the 
richness of the soil and the favorable seasons made that locality 
noted in later years for the production of nearly all the choicest 
varieties of fruits and vegetables. 

I will mention the mosquitos, for they sometimes made life 
a burden with their constant annoyance. The tweet, tweet of 
the frogs, the croaking of the great bull-frogs, each roaring out 
his note as though as hollow as a bass drum. 

(11) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

My parents were painstaking and frugal with their work 
and our home was soon the pride of the neighborhood, and we 
enjoyed a good degree of prosperity. I must not fail to mention 
that I was kept regularly at my lessons and I now sometimes 
took the task of writing letters to the relatives whom I had never 
seen. 

Mother was a great student and read a great deal with me. 
This was a great stimulus to me, for I could do much better 
work v/hen she too was occupied with reading and she read 
ancient and modern history with avidity. I studied my lessons 
as a matter of duty to myself and my parents. The hours of 
play and roaming about the nearby wilds were for recreation 
and the love of nature made each moment dear to me. My high- 
est ambition was to grow into a studious girl and return to the 
old home of my mother's people in Massachusetts to complete 
my education, then to become a missionary and write books for 
other little girls to read. But my star of destiny was to arise in 
the far West and here, near where the waves kiss our Western 
shores, my little span of life will end. 



(12) 



CHAPTER II. 

WE MOVE TO OHIO. 

These happy days of study-work and childish pleasure were 
to end soon and in a very unexpected manner. Letters from 
Ohio informed us that grandmother Lemmon, and her daughter, 
Miss Mary Lemmon, were in failing health. Father being the 
youngest of her three sons was the one preferred by her to man- 
age the home place for her. 

Our home was soon leased to a neighbor, Mr. Peter Price, 
and within a few weeks we stepped aboard the magnificent 
steamboat that was to carry us from Beardstown to our destina- 
tion at Cincinnati. A thrill of delight ran through my mind as 
I viewed the great dimensions and completeness of construction 
that evolved a structure so complete in every way and so adapted 
to every need as we journeyed on. These contemplations occu- 
pied my mind for many succeeding days and seemed to awaken 
a great sense of the wonders and possibilities of the human mind 
when directed in the way of constructive imagination. 

Upon our arrival in Cincinnati we were met by some of 
mother's people by the name of Chase, and after a short visit 
with them we went to our father's older brother. Uncle Eulic 
Lemmon, who was to convey us to our destination at Oxford, 
Ohio. Uncle's strong team of fiery horses and the great wagon 
well loaded with every thing necessary for our comfort while 
on the journey to Oxford, was brought out, and we were soon 
on cur way. 

The relatives still remained on tlie old home place where 
they had settled in the year 1812, and we were to see the prog- 
ress which time and thrift marks upon a naturally beautiful and 
desirable landscape. We moved into a good house that had 
been built on part of grandmother's farm. We were now sur- 
rounded by a large number of relatives and they all joined as 
one in rejoicing over our return. To me the surroundings were 
as a new world. My lesson hours were interrupted and the talk 
of school was a new life to me. 

I was now turned into my tenth year and on the first day of 
school with my books and slate I appeared before Mr. White's 

(13) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

desk. After a brief examination of my work I was placed in 
classes with many children of about my own age, among them 
were some related to me by birth. On pleasant days during the 
Fall and early Winter I walked from our home in Indiana to the 
school house which stood across the state line in Ohio, but when 
the weather became severe I made my home with great grand- 
mother Bourne, her home being in Ohio and only a short dist- 
ance from the school house. 

Thanks to dear mother's training I found myself far in ad- 
vance of most pupils of my age and class. I had the habit 
which I still follow of looking up the meaning of all new words 
that occurred in either the text book or any book that I read for 
instruction or entertainment. In arithmetic and all fundamental 
work mother had given me such careful drills and had by her 
own well formed habits of study inspired me to do the best 
possible work. My teacher, Mr. White, was a very consistent 
and competent person for the place and my progress through 
the year was more than usual. One embarrassing thing often 
occurred. Mr. White would refer to my work as an example of 
what a pupil could accomplish by dint of effort. On those oc- 
casions I would recall mother's patient care and the drills she 
gave on the more difficult tasks and I would then feel indebted 
to her for the kind care and instruction she had given me. 

The evenings I spent at Grandmother Bourne's are indelli- 
bly imprinted on my memory by the peculiar characteristics of 
each individual member of the family and the marked character- 
istics of the surroundings. The household consisted of Great 
Grandmother, Aunt Lucy Bourne, Uncle Richard, and Joseph 
White, the bound boy. Aunt Lucy was a widow and had lived 
seven years on the island of Nantucket. Her husband died there 
at their own home, then as soon as suitable arrangements could 
be made she returned to her mother and ever afterward took 
the care of her mother's house. Uncle was a very thorough 
worker and every thing on that farm had the look of being 
there for all time to come. The boy, Joseph, went with uncle 
and worked as a member of the family and was treated as a 
younger brother. 

On my return from school the first thing to be thought of 
was the preparation of the next day's lesson. For this I usually 
sat by the fireside seated in grandmother's rocking chair; then 
as the outdoor work was completed Uncle and Joseph would 
come into the house and while Uncle would read Joseph would 
sit opposite and make hideous faces at the pet dog. The dog 

(14) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

^ylls past twenty years of ag^e ar.d hiid come with the family 
from Massachusetts. He was so well trained that at no time 
eould he be coaxed into the house without having first carefully 
wiped his feet on the door mat and made manners. This was 
done by a seriec of nods and respectful yelps. As Joseph sat 
making faces the dog resented by gi-owls and after each of these 
Great Grandmother would leave her work in the kitchen, come 
to the sitting room and say in the most earnest way, "Joseph, 
what be ye doing?" And Joseph would as regularly answer, 
"Nothin." This dialogue would be repeated many times each 
evening until I came to think of it as part of the necessary 
family routine. 

Grandmother was past ninety years of age but was always 
careful to oversee all the work and it was the delight of her 
children to humor her every suggestion. After we all had re- 
tired for the night she went the round of the house and would 
inquire of each, "Be ye comfoi-table," and when each had an- 
swered she would return to the fireside and work or read until 
a very late hour of the night. 

This commodious house had been built soon after their ar- 
rival in that town and was thoroughly furnished and as comfort- 
able as a home could be. Neatness and cleanliness was sure its 
characteristic. I think Uncle Richard must have been a model 
fi-in^er. The orchard, flower gardens and every thing was laid 
cut in such perfect order. Their stock was of the best, and all 
the buildings were furnished with every necessary thing for use 
or comfort and ornament. 

The children took pride in extending watchful care over 
gvijidmother. She arose as usual one morning in the late 
Spring and went about her accustomed duties. Seeing her 
falter they hastened to her side^ but the spirit had left its tene- 
ment of clay. This occurred in the year 1840. Grandmother 
was in her ninety-seventh year cf ag-e. 

These happy school days contir.ued through two years. Oc- 
cpsionally I met with my great uncles and their families, Na- 
than, Marshal, Lumidu and Richard. It was with feelings of re- 
gret that I bade adieu to my kind teacher, Mr. White, and the 
school mates at Oxford, Ohio. Tpking a fond farewell of those 
scenes that had offered me so much pleasure and stored them as 
treasures of memory. New scenes and varied experiences 
iwaited my childish footsteps. 



(15) 



CHAPTER III. 

THE RETURN TO ILLINOIS. 

During these two years father's mother had steadily de- 
clined in health and the physicians now advised a change of 
scene for her health. She decided to go to Illinois with father 
and see his new home. Her farm was leased and all prepara- 
tions made for the journey as we were to start as soon as school 
closed. Two responsible men were sent on with two wagons 
loaded vdth goods for their needs. We took a final farewell of 
Great Grandmother and all the relatives. I attended school 
regularly to the last and with regret parted from my kind teach- 
er and schoolmates, many of whom were related to my father 
or my mother. 

On a beautiful morning in June we started for home. The 
road was fine as pavement for most of the way and we were 
feasted on the beauties of nature from morn till night. Stop- 
ping in pleasant farm homes each night we were comfortable 
and the journey was very much like a visit among acquaintances. 
Grandmother and Aunt were delighted and improved vei^ much 
in health so our anxieties were for the time relieved. Along 
the way we saw many species of wild birds and not a few deer 
and other wild game. All this was a new experience to me and 
little did I think that the most important and exciting events 
of my life were to be experienced in a land where scenes were 
new and regions wild, but so are our lives meted out to us. 
"New every morning is the love our waking and uprising prove," 
and daily we are led through paths "we had not trod," but our 
home was not far distant and one beautiful day we drove to 
our own door. 

Fanner Price had proved himself worthy of our trust 
and we were soon settled in our own home. Grandmother and 
Aunt were as pleased as could be and expressed a desire to re- 
main with us for their remaining days. 

A Miss Slade from New York applied for the school and 
cousin Sarah Baker and myself were soon in school. There 
were now over twenty pupils in the district and Miss Slade 
proved herself a very competent teacher. This was a hewn-log 

(16) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

school house with long seats or pews across the room and a 
wide shelf around the room on three sides for a writing desk. 
A large fireplace in the far end of the room kept us comfortable 
when the days began to grow cool. Among the. schoolmates 
were the eight older children of neighbor Price. Their names 
were David, John, Michael, Jonas, James, Henry, Phoebe, De- 
borah. Sarah and Nancy were too young for school. These child- 
ren were carefully instructed at home in regard to all the higher 
ideals of honesty and truth. Such home instruction always re- 
sults well to the parents, and for the future of the child in-' 
structed. Many were the happy days we spent in that prim- 
itive looking school house. Miss Slade would have nothing ex- 
cept the best effort of each and a healthy spirit of rivalry kept 
each one working our best efforts. There were no favorites and 
each was esteemed for his or her own merits. The school was 
governed by the teacher very much as schools are conducted at 
this time, but the parents were very particular in regard to the 
conduct of their children and several impomptu "school meet- 
ings" were held to assist the teacher in securing prompt obed- 
ience without M^hich no school can prosper. These kindly aids 
were well received by the teacher and all was harmonious. I 
have heard in later years many accounts of the doings of the 
"old time" school masters, but I am thankful to say that I do 
not see so great a difference in any respect, except in the mat- 
ter of branches of study. We were required to look up the 
meaning of many words in each assignment and much care w^as 
bestowed on the spelling of words and we were required to use 
those words in original sentences. 

Dear father would often come with his old bob-sled to take 
us home. He was sure to drive up just as the school was about 
to close and as we filed out of the room he would call out, "All 
get in before the sled gets cold," and such a scramble there 
would be. Children clambering to get in lest the team should 
start. Just as though dear father could have been hired to leave 
one behind. A halt was made at each home as we passed along, 
and ours being the last one on the line, most of the school had 
been dropped ere we reached home. When we were landed at 
home we were sure to have a good fire to greet us, and sitting 
down to visit with the dear grandmother and aunt was a joy 
that not every child can have, and I feel there are some that 
would not appreciate it so much as we else there would not be 

(17) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

so many lone women out away from their own kith and kin try- 
ing to make their way in the world while there are so many 
people of wealth who would never miss the amount it would 
take to make these lone ones comfortable. To be sure our 
grandmother and aunt had abundant means but that was not 
considered. It would have been just the same with them if not 
anything was theirs. 

The comforts of this prairie home were simple, as the 
world now reckons comfort but we enjoyed the great fireplace 
where father built the great fires of hardwood that burned 
with a steady glow for hours together, and where the burnished 
brass "and irons" gleamed in the brightness of the glow. In 
the great "ell" kitchen we partook of the best of suppers — 
domestic meats, venison, vegetables and fruits were now abund- 
ant. For the long winter evenings we had many kinds of nuts 
stored aw^ay, which, with baked sweet potatoes and other old 
time luxuries, we made many a temperate repast after the 
work and study of the evening were done. 

The school year closed and once more vacation was on. 

Dear Grandmother passed to the Great Beyond and once 
more we were to experience gieat changes in our home circle. 
Dear Aunt desired to remain vdth us. All was done that was 
possible to make her comfortable and happy but the loss of her 
mother bore heavily on her delicate health and she soon faded 
away as a flower that bloonis for but a short season. Grand- 
mother had taken care of a gi-and-daughter, an entire orphan, 
and to be sure she had been with us all these years, but soon as 
those who had exercised parental care were taken from h<^r she 
gi'ieved for the old home in Ohio and father took her home, and, 
after the property was settled in accordance with grandmother's 
will, he returned home. 

But such great griefs usually work great changes of feeling 
and the home seemed quite different. We soon moved to Beards- 
town where I was placed in a school and kept by a lady govern- 
ess who came from the far East to instiuct Mr. Beard's family 
and such other children as they might choose to admit into the 
school. I was now twelve years of age and the winters work 
was very different from any former school life. We were drilled 
in regard to the usages of good society. Each girl was re- 
quired to practice many times each day en certain set phrases 
suited to tiie occasion of entertaining company, and one espec- 
ial duty was to assume the proper facial contortions as thoug'h 
one had just completed the word "persimmons." I studied with 

(18) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

more than usual diligence for I dreaded the thought of ignorance, 
but no amount of effort could atone for the lack of my former 
good teachers, but I somehow had tlie sort of natural idea that 
people are reckoned in this life mostly for their integrity, in- 
dustry, and unselfish honesty, than for any amount of formali- 
ties they may practice. I remember, however, that my par- 
ents often told me of a man who went many miles to procure 
a coat for a certain occasion, saying that a person fitted to hold 
a position of honor would make himself presentable for the 
occasion and the occupation. 

On Friday evenings I returned home and always found the 
house still, and dear mother lonely. How I dreaded to go away 
on Monday morning, but the year was drawing to a close and 
other changes awaited us. I came in one evening to see a look 
on dear mother's face that I had never seen before. I walked 
away after the usual greeting and sat silent. After a time her 
voice strengthened and she said, "What do you think father has 
done." 

I answered, "I do not know." 

"He has sold the farm and soon as school closes we are to 
move to Missouri." 

What a shock those words gave me, but like most active 
children the curious and the adventurous spirit soon predom- 
inated, and, from that time on, the days in school were all too 
long. 

Our plans were soon completed and we scon were on the 
way. My adieus were spoken formally but with less feeling 
than I am able to express here, although I was much attached 
to a dear schoolmate. Miss Caroline Beard, and all my asso- 
ciations in that school were commendable. But it was while 
there that I learned that children were not all so carefully 
trained in regard to speaking the truth as I had been, and some- 
how it brought dear mother so often to mind as I observed their 
habits of insincerity. I think that much of the conduct of early 
life is the result of the training which a child receives. I do 
not think the pupils were so very different from others with 
whom I had been associated, but I was now awakening to habits 
of observing things as never before 

Among our neighbors here were Mr. and Mrs. Llinos Brooks 
and family, Samuel, Henry, Seldon and Maria. These people 
eame from Massachusetts and were acquainted with mother's 
relatives there. Many years later they were our neighbors in 
Marion county, Oregon, and the name is farjiliar in the history 
of Oregon. 

(19) 



CHAPTER IV. ; 

WE MOVE TO MISSOURI. 

During the early spring father went into Missouri and lo- 
cated a land claim on what is now the site of St. Joseph, Mo. 
He returned about the time our school year closed and soon we 
were on our way West. How different it all was from our form- 
er journeys. The hired men and teams kept in advance of us 
and in less than a months time we were settled in the new home 
at St. Joseph. A Franklin stove that we had brought from 
Ohio supplied all the heat for our home and was also used for 
cooking the meals. 

Our house stood on high ground at the head of the main 
street. There was one brick building in the town. It contained 
four large rooms. One was used for school, Mr. J. B. Richard- 
son being the teacher. Mr. Farley kept a jewelry and silver- 
smith's store in the corner room and the two families occupied 
the upper rooms and the two remaining down stairs. On our 
arrival in June there was only one dry goods store, owned by 
Mr. Joseph Rubidoux, but as soon as father could get a brick 
kiln burned two others were built. One was owned by a Mr. 
Richardson and one by a Mr. E. Perry 

School opened in October. I attended the first school, the 
first church and the first Sunday school, also the first temper- 
ance lecture ever given in that town, and for two consecutive 
years did not miss a day of school, Sunday school, nor a sermon. 
Mr. Helm was the minister part of the time but many other 
preachers and ministers came also. 

Squire Price also came out to preempt land. At that time 
marauding bands of Sioux Indians would cross the river on 
the ice and alarm timid people. A camp of these were not far 
out of town and a woman of the tribe came to our door before 
daybreak with a two bushel sack full of bowie knives, toma- 
hawks and spear heads, all very dangerous weapons in the 
hands of a drunken Indian. She asked us to keep them until 
she called again. The next evening she took them after dusk 
to a clump of trees near by. Early on the morning following 
her husband came to demand them and said his wife was some- 

(20) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

where in the house. We were frightened as father could not 
talk to him in the jargon. Just as he was getting boisterous 
Squire Price came in and said in plain English, "Go or I'll break 
this chair over your head." The Indian said, "How many pieces 
you break?" At that Mr. Price lifted him by the collar of his 
shirt and his breech clout and flung him clear over the yard 
gate. He arose none the worse hurt and went to the camp. 
Here he told the other Indians that a powerful man was in that 
house. 

The Indians soon packed up and were ready to go, but two 
spry young squaws caught a fine young hog by the hind legs 
and skated across the river dragging the animal along. And no 
farmer had the courage to go over and demand the porker as 
the defiant yells of the crowd of Indians on the opposite bank 
intimidated them and the audacity was something to admire. 

I must mention the fact that we had not been settled in St. 
Joseph more than a few weeks when one Sunday evening as I 
sat reading a buggy containing three men halted and asked for 
work on the brick yard. Father hired them. One was a school 
teacher who had just closed a school near Chilicothee and had 
taught two years in Indiana. His name was Benjamin Walden. 

When Mr. Richardson's school opened in that first year Mr. 
Walden took up his studies in the school and attended the two 
winters with myself. The studies were mathematics, language 
or grammar, history, civics, geography, defining or dictionary, 
spelling, reading and writing. 

In February, 1845, father, brother Lemuel and myself were 
attacked with lung fever. A messenger was sent 30 miles to 
summon Dr. Vellmon, an old German or Hollander, but a schol- 
arly physician. Dr. Vellmon would send no medicine but called 
to "Kitty Ann" to make coffee in haste while he prepared for 
the long ride, saying, "I shall see Mr. Lemmon's before another 
day dawns." And sure enough he was with us before daylight, 
and brought the three of us through the serious attack of ill- 
ness. But before he left the house he said, "Don't you stay 
here another winter Lemmons; you can't brave it. Your lungs 
and the boys and the girls are not for such weather as this. Go 
to Oregon where are Pine and Fir trees and grouse. Mind ye, if 
you stay here I'll not be able to pull you through." 

Then we sold the little home to Mr. Padee, from New York 
state, and while we made the necessary preparations for our 
journey to Oregon Mr. Padee went on with the work on the 
brick yard. 

(21 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

I was sixteen years and six months old, then by a Methodist 
minister, Elder Helm, I was by the lawful ties of matrimony 
united to Benjamin Walden, the sixteenth day of April in the 
year 1845. The fourth day of the same year my father, John 
Lemmon and family, my husband and self, left our home boimd 
for the far West. 



(22) 



CHAPTER V. 

LEAVING ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI. 

We were ferried across the Missouri river at St. Joseph, 
Missouri, and for the first time in the lives of many of us the 
tents became the only protection for the night and the cover 
over the wagon the only for the day. We remained in camp 
here one whole day and night. The necessity for this was evi- 
dent when I tell you that not a house stood on the West bank 
of the river, and within a few miles travel, we would be in the 
wild unsettled territory subject to the attacks of marauding 
bands of savages. 

Several parties from the camp recrossed the river to get 
some needed supplies, and then for the first time we realized 
the strength of unity. Every known want was supplied before 
starting on our long and hazardous journey that now lay before 
our venturesome and adventurous feet. Other parties from 
other sections of the country had arranged to make the journey 
in our company or "train" as it was now called, and these parties 
now began to fall in with us, some of them coming over the 
river before nightfall. 

Roving bands of Sioux Indians came often to St. Joseph 
to buy "firewater" and were a menace to any one who might 
land alone on that side of the river, hence we had taken every 
precaution to arrange a large company. While in this camp 
a Captain of Company was chosen and every gun was examined 
and put in perfect condition. Every man was required to regis- 
ter his name and that of every member of his household, then 
the charges of ammunition were counted and all carefully stored 
against the time of need. 

In selecting our captain great care was taken to select a 
man who had been in mountainous countries and had clear ideas 
of the possible dangers that we were to encounter. Wagon 
loads of people and goods had left the Missouri river the year 
previous to cross the same plain that we were preparing to 
cross, but none of them had ever returned to tell us of their ad- 
ventures, and, as I now think of it, we were surely taking a 
wild and inconsiderate step for we had no definite knowledge 

(23) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

of their fate, and yet we were willing and anxious to plunge 
into the same wild and risk the dangers that were so numerous 
with no definite knowledge of what might lie at the other ex- 
treme. It seems a special providence of God that our hearts 
were kept strong and true to the task before us. 

The election of a captain was to recur a^s often as once in 
every month, that no one be too long burdened with the duties 
and cares of that office. 

My husband had a copy of the "Lewis and Clark" report and 
from that it was decided that our route lay along the banks of 
the Missouri river, although no definite idea was given, as mak- 
ing the journey in wagons and carriages was so different from 
the one made by Clark and Lewis. The Willamette valley was 
the goal of our destination and the land of our expectations, and 
on the morning of May 6, 1845, we started. Within a few hours 
time we began to sight vast herds of buffalo on their way to and 
from the plains to the river where they made regular excur- 
sions to get water. This sight was becoming so frequent in re- 
currence that we had growm quite indifferent to the sight when,, 
one bright morning, a vast herd of several thousand of these 
horned beasts were seen coming directly toward our train. The 
order was given to stop, then veer to the left, as these animals 
were in a wild race commonly called a stampede, and had never 
been known to stop for anything that proves an obstruction to 
their progress. We were barely able to give them the right of 
way ere the great moving mass of apparently crazed beasts 
came alongside our teams with their regular movement, a sort 
of short gallop which gave the long line of living things the un- 
dulating movement of a great sea as it rises in regular billows 
and falls in gently undulating troughs. For more than two 
hours our progress was stayed and the time seemed to pass 
quickly too, for we were so spell-bound in our wonder at the 
vastness of the herd and the futility of our attempts to impede 
their onward movement. Many shots were fired into the herd 
but to no effect, as their thick skulls and great shaggy coats 
were al'nost impervious to the effect of those old time rifle 
shots; however a calf that fell behind the herd was slain and the 
meat diNided out, but so small a game was not enough for a 
taste to the different parties who now besieged the captor. 

A few days later we arrived at the fortified camp of Mr. 
Whitlock, his son, and several others who had gathered their 
belongings and preceded us to prepare dried meat for as many 
of the company as might desire to purchase for their outfitting 

(24) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

to carry them across the plains. We secured a bountiful supply 
and this proved a great blessing to us. This first taste of buffalo 
meat marked a decided improvement in my health and for the 
first time in my life I began to enjoy fairly good health. 

To prepare this dried or jerked meat the newly dressed 
meat is first dipped into a solution of strong brine at boilmg 
heat then hung over a frame work of small poles and allowed to 
drain off all superfluous moisture. A fire of hardwood now 
supplies the drying and curing smoke that renders the meat 
proof against the effects of microbes and decay. These animals 
were a great blessing to mankind both savage and civilized. 
Without these animals the vast region West of the Mississippi 
river would have been almost untamable. "A ^vilderness m its 
vast loneliness, a desert in its uncultivated wildness." 

We were now out on the great plain of the Platte, or Ne- 
braska river, and we could well fancy ourselves in the desert of 
Sahara, so striking was the resemblance, according to what 
Captain Riley said of the wild region of Africa where he spent 
many years in travel and research. Had we but camels to com- 
plete the "panorama," we would have had the semblance com- 
plete The high winds would lift the soil and heap it around 
us in such a way that we could not be seen, so completely 
would the wind sweep the earth, but on we went, our hearts 
and minds striving to reach the "Land of Promise. 

The car in which I rode was a large wagon that my husband 
had purchased only a few days before we started on this jour- 
ney, and was drawn by two teams of strong oxen, and some of 
the time three span of oxen were required to do the work. 

The trails made by the buffaloes ran parallel and were a^ 
regular as any set of ploughed furrows, so ^«/^«^^^^^/.."°"- 
stant rocking movement as our road lay parallel to the trails 

Since I have told you of the dust storms that occasionally 
came on you may wonder how we managed to protect our beds 
and clothing, but most of the wagons were so perfectly covered 
with well made canvas coverings that at a moments warnmg 
they could be so tightened down as to perfectly protect from 
dust, sand and wind. To be sure our going was not like riding 
in a Pullman Palace car, as I have since experienced, and the 
humpty-dumpty road was not gone over so rapidly as goes the 
"iron horse" or the electric motor, yet we were content to go on 
our way with the best that God gave us wisdom to employ, and 
we had the best accoutrements that the age and mventions of 
the times produced. 

(25) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

One day a small animal was seen running across the plain 
just as we called a halt for dinner. A little old man mounted 
a fleet horse and went in pursuit but he soon discovered that 
it was not a fawn but a new species of animal such as we had 
not seen on our journey, and one of which we had no know- 
ledge, so he came back to meet the crowd and take the laugh. 
Some one spoke to my husband in regard to it saying, "It was 
so strange a little creature and so fleet of foot." He replied 
that from the first jump he had decided it must be an antelope 
as it so resembled the description given in his books of natural 
history. Chasing antelopes now became a favorite pastime for 
the younger men and many a poor grass-fed horse could testify 
to the cruel sport. 

We were now in full view of the Rocky Mountains and their 
dull gray peaks towering skyward caused many an anxious 
thought and doubtful questioning as to how, when, or where we 
should find a pass through their apparently solid phalanx of 
rock. Our now weary teams and great cumbersome wagons 
could make an exit into the great beyond, and many were the 
rueful thoughts and dim forebodings of interest that would 
haunt our day dreams as we plodded along, ever moving yet 
making so little apparent progress. Anent these dismal 
thoughts came vivid pictures of the great beyond, the republic 
yet to be born, the conquest of the wide, wide West, recalling 
lines of prose and verse, descriptive of Evergreen Firs, soughing 
Pines, and flowing rivers that mingled their placid waters with 
the rolling turbulent waters of the great Pacific. 

All along this part of the road there was great scarcity of 
wood and many times we were compelled to cook our food with 
buffalo chips. This caused many ladies to act very cross and 
many were the rude phrases uttered, far more humiliating to 
refined ears than any mention cf the material used for fuel 
could have been, but fane of surroundings was a great leveler, 
and, ere long, each member of the various households was busily 
employed in the search for fuel. The fires burned clear and 
with great heat, so that by good management with our old 
fashioned "Dutch ovens" and closed kettles, a clean and whole- 
some meal could be quickly prepared over a fire of buffalo 
chips. Almost every family was provided with one or more 
good milch cows, and after a night's rest and graze the fresh 
morning milk, good warm bread, meats and sauce, for there 
was an abundance of dried fruits in each provision wagon. 

Right here I wish to state that many of those emigrants 

(26) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

were well equipped for setting up a new home in a far off land. 
Whole bolts of sheeting, linsey wool, jean for men's clothing, 
carpets, home-knit hosiery and mittens of colors, both grave 
and gay, were stored away by careful hands to circumvent the 
day of need. Books also were not entirely forgotten. My hus- 
band and I brought our Bible, dictionary, arithmetic, grammar, 
charts and maps, also our diplomas of graduation. 



(27) 



CHAPTER VI. ' 

LIEUTENANT FREMONT OVERTAKES OUR TRAIN 
IN THE SIOUX LAND. 

We had been out only a few days when we stopped one day 
on the bank of the Platte river to prepare dinner. The fires 
were kindled, and, while the cooks were busy with their work 
and most of the men folks were down to the water with the horses 
suddenly there arose a fearful cry of ''Indian! Indians!" This 
out-cry was followed by a stern command to "hitch up and roll 
out." The entire company seemed almost wild with excitement, 
children crying, mothers screaming or praying, men running 
wildly about, not knowing what to do. Aother voice was heard 
commanding to close in and "form a corral with all haste." 
By this time part of the teams were ready to proceed but the 
opinions of the more calm and judicious finally prevailed, and 
an effort was made to arrange the company in order for defense. 
About this time I saw a woman assisting her husband in 
making bullets from bars of lead which were carried for that 
purpose. He prepared the lead by melting it in an iron ladle 
which he heated over coals of fire. 

Soon a young man volunteered to go riding out on the higher 
ground where he could reconnoiter, while others had no other 
thought than to prepare for an open daylight battle with a hos- 
tile band of Indians. This man was out of sight so long that 
another volunteered to go in search of him. This man also dis- 
appeared from sight. The captain now looked frantic and, in 
spite of the entreaties of the older and wiser of the company, 
ordered an immediate movement forward in the line. The teams 
were now being placed. Women were crying, wringing hands, 
prayers were made, a medley of sounds and sights, a moving 
to and fro of frightened men, women and children. All was 
utter confusion and uproar. 

By this time the glitter of fire-arms was visible in the dis- 
tance. My father and some of the men tried to pacify all by say- 
ing that Indians never made attacks in daylight. Their fears 
were somewhat allayed and quiet was being restored when on 
came the company of glittering bayonets, the guns shining like 

(28) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

burnished steel. They were soon along side of us, but imagine, 
if you can, our unbounded joy in the surprise. They were a reg- 
iment of U. S. soldiers in command of Captain Kearney and 
Lieutenant Fremont. These gallant commanders alighted from 
their horses, shook hands with the members of our company, 
assured us that their well-cared for boys would perform guard 
duty at night fall, that our stock should graze in peace and safe- 
ty and that the weary teamsters might rest as our men were 
greatly fagged and over-worked by their daily toil and their 
night duty of standing on guard. These had been sent by the 
government to escort emmigrants across the plains. What un- 
bounded joy filled every heart as we saw these well drilled, 
v/ell mounted and thoroughly well equipped soldiers pass on 
ahead. They had one field-piece with them. A few days later 
they arranged a meeting with the Sioux chief and were assured 
that the emmigrants would pass in safety through their lands. 
They claimed the Rocky Mountain summit as their bound. The 
soldiers remained with us about ten days or so and then marched 
on foot to the foot of the Rocky Mountains and established Fort 
Kearney, but their patrol force rendered our journey absolutely 
safe. We now pursued our journey quietly and even monoton- 
ously. Each day the same program, the men gathering up the 
stock, harnessing the teams to the wagons, the women cooking, 
washing dishes, packing away their utensils, putting up lunches 
for the noon hour. 

Captain Kearney gave us some useful instructions regard- 
ing our camp ground arrangement. We were to drive near 
enough together so that we could lay the tongue of our wagon 
just back of the hind wheels of the one next in front, thus form- 
ing a perfect circle, the second team to take the lead each 
day, thus we had a new neighbor each night. We were also in- 
structed to build our fires outside the circle that our movements 
might be more hidden from enemies. The men were drilled aS 
to their duty in case we should see enemies approaching. The 
teams were to be immediately formed in a circle, all animals to 
be placed inside the circle or corral, the women and children to 
remain quietly in the v/agons, the men to shoulder guns and be 
prepared for firing when commanded to do so. This bit of in- 
struction seemed to make them act more in unison and prevent- 
ed recurring scenes of confusion. No Indian attack occurred. 

This was a good place to study human nature. One family 
that traveled with us v/ould drive out at day-break every morn- 
ing and leave the other teams behind, as the lady said their 

(29) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 
stcck would not get enough to eat if they remained with the 

train, so they would push ahead until near night fall then camp 
quite near us and if another company of travellers should come 
along they would ask to be voted back into our train. This was 
kept up so regularly that at last seme of the crowd would vote 
"no" just to annoy the lady, others were so vexed that the vote 
would have to be taken several times before they could be re-ad- 
mitted into the train. 

Another lady thought one evening of making soup for sup- 
per, so she placed her soup kettle over the fire to boil, but the 
slender branches which we were able to procure for fuel burned 
in two and down went the kettle, soup bone and all. She was 
quick enough to prevent any accident to the soup bone and the 
kettle was again prepared for cooking; the kettle and contents 
again came down and it was the fifth time that some accident 
had befallen when a successful arrangement was made and the 
soup kettle set up a regular succession of boil. "Well," said 
the lady, "I intend having that soup for supper after all." A 
man who had been sitting in front of a near wagon had whistled 
and whittled during the entire time then said, "Well, you are 
not a swearing woman or you would have been using some sort 
of swear words alright." This man was Mr. William Taylor, 
afterwards a well known settler in Marion county, Oregon. The 
lady smiled and by her look of patient perseverence showed the 
folly of any rash speech as a remedy for the many trifling and 
annoying occurrences of every-day life. 

During the first two months of our journey we stopped 
regularly for Sunday, but now that the teams were getting so 
fagged and the feed becoming so dry and scarce it was thought 
best to make a short drive each day. It was estimated that we 
had about a thousand miles yet to go before reaching the Will- 
amette valley and all thought best to make as much of our jour- 
ney as possible before the late summer when both feed and water 
would most likely be very scarce. Accordingly we made as good 
time as possible and often allowed only half days for washing 
and putting away the clothes. 

We continued our daily journeying, listening to the regular 
tramping of the poor four-footed beasts over the plain and 
through the dust, the midsummer sun beaming through the 
cloth roofs and the look of stern desperation settling in the 
countenances of the most refined and self sacrificing. A weary 
sameness seemed to characterize each, giving the look of similar- 
ity to the outline of each one with whom we came in contact. 

(30) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

There was now scarcely a green plant to be seen along the road- 
side, and, when our route lay away from the riverside we found 
it difficult to get water for cooking. This caused much suffer- 
ing among the animals. How I pitied the poor oxen, jaded and 
hoof -worn lolling along, yet patient and faithful, as only dumb 
animals can be. 

Marion Pce Gets Robbed in. the Sioux Land. 
One of my father's hired men went with father to bring up 
a fine milch cow that had fallen behind with a young calf. This 
occurred when we were only a few days out from the place of 
starting, and, as there was so large a train we did not fear any 
serious trouble with the Indians, The cow had dropped out of 
the herd some time during the night and father had no doubt 
about finding her, provided the calf was able to follow her. 

Poe had a pistol in his belt and it was a favorite sport of 
his to shoot at toads, snakes and other small game such as 
squirrels, birds and rabbits. In this way hib supply of ammu- 
nition was always low or exhausted. 

They had no difficulty in finding the cow and were pro- 
ceeding toward the train in good time when a small party of 
Indians were seen walking leisurely along at a little distance. 
Poe rode out to them and began to talk unconcernedly to them. 
He was riding a very spirited young horse of father's and the 
saddle was strong and new. It was of the old fashioned flat 
style, hornless and with broad iron stirrups and wide skirts. As 
he talked, or tried to talk to them, one of the Indians took hold 
of the horses bridles while two others took hold of the stirrups 
and quickly slipped them off his feet, and, while they unbuckled 
the straps his feet were left hanging uselessly down. 

Poe was too scared to speak to father but father saw the 
situation and rode to his assistance. Father was also well 
mounted and carried a black-snake whip in his hand. The In- 
dins were now prepared to pull Poe off the horse, but father 
gave a fierce rap with his whip across their hands causing them 
to loose their hold on the bridle. He then gave the horse a 
stroke v/ith the whip, at the same time telling Poe to hold on 
to his saddle for his life. The horse gave a bound that caused 
the other knaves to fall backward. Father kept up such a fu- 
silade with his whip that they got no time for drawing their 
bows and in a jiffy the two men and horses were out of dagger 
of pursuit. It was the intention of the Indians to take the cloth- 
ing and firearms from Poe before getting off his horse. Mean- 
time the cow and calf had wandered on toward the camp so that 

(31) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

parties returned in safety to bring her in to the herd. Pee 
was cured of his desire to converse with the quick witted mau- 
rauding Sioux. Although the laugh at his expense was the 
theme of many a joke among his comrades around the camp 
fires. 

It was daily becoming more and more a serious question 
with each of us whether the poor faithful beasts would be able 
to carry their burdens to the land of our destiny, but that sus- 
taining providence that never forsakes was meted out to us just 
such blessings as we were most in need of and we had learned to 
trust Him in whose heart is the way of them who, passing 
through the valley of Baca, maketh it a' well. 

We were now nearing the Rocky Mountains. With fond 
hopes we pictured the beautiful Willamette valley beyond, but 
with much fear and trembling did we see the weary travelers 
attempt the climbing of the dreary foothills. Of our journey 
through the Rocky Mountains and the wonderful Yellowstone 
Park I will tell you in the next chapter. 



(32) 



CHAPTER VII. , 

OBSERVATIONS IN THE YELLOWSTONE PARK. 

We were now in the mountainous country and I never 
wearied of the beauties and wonders of the scenery. Being nat- 
urally "full of curiosity" and roving in mind and disposition 
I would mount my riding nag and employ every spare moment 
in feasting my eyes and my "minds eye" upon their varied and 
wonderful scenes. 

My first and predominating thought was that an earth- 
quake had visited that whole region, and that was even so, and 
many had there been as there are great masses of upheavals 
upturned along side of craters of vast extent; extinct volcanoes, 
numerous rock forms, many of them showing pyrites of the 
precious metals, as gold, iron, copper and silver. In these 
observations my husband and father were both interesting 
companions and it was often remarked that we were passing 
over more gold than we would ever possess in any new lands 
which we might conquer. But no one dared think of stopping 
to investigate or prospect as the season was now drawing 
to a close and the thought of snow falling in the mountains 
was a continual menace to any tendency to tardiness or delay. 
The look of our weary teams was sufficient incentive to effort 
in behalf of reaching our journeys end. 

One night we camped near a small marsh formed by water 
that flowed from a spring at the foot hills. The animals hur- 
ried ahead to slack their thirst but turned away in apparent 
fright. One of the men took a pail and went to get drinking 
water for the family, but he called out, "boys it's hot enough to 
cook eggs," and sure enough we made coffee by pouring the 
water just from the spring over the ground coffee. It was with 
feelings of awe that I viewed this one of the great works of 
creation that are marvelous in our eyes, yet common with Him 
who does all things. 

A dog that had followed us through the entire journey 
tried to drink at this spring but one lap of his tongue was quite 
enough to satisfy the good canine. He gave one loud yelp 
then ran off whining because of his scalded mouth. 

(33) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

One lady, a dear good woman, made tea by pouring the 
boiling water over tea leaves then asked me to sip a cup of tea 
with her in remembrance of the place and the occasion, so we 
took tea together made from the naturally hot water. 

One evening when we had camped earlier than usual and 
the broken and upheaved surface of the ground awakened so 
much curiosity that, in company with a young lady of our ac- 
quaintance, I went for a stroll among the many curious and 
wonderful natural and misplaced formations. We came to a 
large flat rock surface of volcanic nature, or lava flow, which 
extended several yards in a direct slant, and, looking beyond 
I saw an opening that resembled a cellar mouth. As I pro- 
ceeded down the incline the opening began to show enormous 
dimensions. The girl said "please do not go any nearer," but 
I walked to the farther aide and thought to go inside, but on 
looking into the inky darkness I was over-awed by the deathly 
silence and, throwing a stone into the cavern, I heard a dull 
distant thud that convinced my mind of the great distance from 
my footing to the lower level. With shelly rock under my feet, 
the dismal cave in front of me, the lengthening shadows on the 
distant mountainside, I turned and hastened up the steep incline 
to the broad daylight where stood the dear girl awaiting my re- 
turn, and in her face I saw the look of great relief from anxiety 
that had awakened by my safe return and I ever afterwards 
heeded Ruth's kind admonition to never again venture so far 
into such a dangerous place. 

While coming on through those strange looking places 
where warm springs, and boiling springs, and spouting springs, 
and soda springs, and springs of clear cold water refreshing to 
taste were so near together and apparently so promiscuously 
dotted over the landscape, that while we were lost in the venera- 
tion of one we were brought in the close proximity of another. 
And thus the whole day would pass as one great panorama of 
views, grand and sublime. The grand old geysers spouting 
water to a distance of from twenty to one hundred feet in the 
air to come down in a beautiful spray which was often-times 
illumined by sunlight so as to give off all the brilliance of a 
rain-bow, the gurgle of boiling springs near our feet, the won- 
derful colors of earth and rock and tree and sky, the faint odor 
of brimstone, or the sweet disinfected air from the vicmity or 
a soda spring, all were new to me as "sermons in stones, books 
in running brooks, and good in everything." 

(34) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

I was on horse-back one morning and riding alone that I 
might halt or proceed at will and seeing a natural resorvoir 
full cf clear, limpid water I took my drinking cup from its 
fastening on my saddle and dipped up a cup of the water. It 
was clear as crystal and looked vexy temipting, but, on tasting, 
it was strong as of mineral and had a tartishness very much 
like cider. A close inspection showed that the reservoir, which, 
in my estimation, was six to eight feet in depth, was circular 
in form and several times that distance across in any direction. 
The water flowed from a spring down the abrupt side of a 
mountain, trickling over a stony surface. The masonry of the 
vast pool or tank was formed of the mineral contents of the 
crystalizing. These pools were quite numerous in that section. 
I did not find it necessary to leave the main traveled road to 
study these natural curiosities. Here all was curious. We 
would start into a canyon and wind round and round until it 
would seem that we were completely lost and hemmed in on all 
sides, then, after awhile, we would emerge from this into open 
space, yet on, on and on we would go. 

Whatever gave people the incentive to continue such a dead 
march and march along, it was because, should we stand still, 
we must needs starve as in this strange and wonderful country 
little game was to be seen. Occasionally a bush bearing yellow 
currants might be seen along the ravines or on the hillsides. 
Some were so hungry for fruit that they seemed to relish these 
and some even made pies of them. 

Each day's journey now brought us rapidly into rougher 
lands and it became evident that we were ascending the Rocky 
Mountains, of which I have several times spoken. Of our 
journey across these mountains I will speak in the succeed- 
ing chapter. 

After leaving these pools and wonders of nature the road 
became more rugged, hilly and rocky. The poor bovines be- 
came so lame and fagged that they seemed to dread to move 
and would try to evade the regular harnessing for the day's 
duty. But once under the yoke they would willingly obey and 
work to the last limit of their strength. These were times to 
try the mettle of men. The judicious and kind would control 
their teams with kind words and wait patiently for the poor 
jaded beasts to choose their footing, while the more unmerciful 
would resort to volumes of enathemas and the lashing of their 
great whips would almost deafen those of refined feelings or 
considerate natures. When we were nearing one of these dif- 

(35) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

ficult places I would, if possible, ride out of range of the sound 
of such voices and words, while dear mother would almost iii- 
variably say, "you go on ahead. We will get so weary of the 
noise and profanity, but you have plenty of time to escape it." 

In fording the larger or more dangerous streams, you may 
be assured that I did not attempt any long distance rides, and 
always rode near the side of my husband's team, although in 
this I was sometimes mistaken for, in some instances, the ap- 
pearances were so deceiving and in one instance particularly, 
two or three women were riding with me and we saw an innocent 
looking stream with green and mossy banks, just beyond which 
was a large tract of grass land where our horses might have 
quite a feed ere the teams could overtake us. So we rode fear- 
lessly into the vrater, but the banks were almost perpendicular 
and the smaller horses were midside in water and mud. My nag 
was the only one that seemed able to breast the current. I felt 
her courageous, forward move so I said, "Follow me, and do 
not attempt to turn around. Let my filly choose the exit." She 
turned her head upstream and within a dozen steps came to a 
regularly sloping bank that brought us safely out to the much 
coveted feed. The others laughed at our experiences, and, while 
we dried our wet shoes and clothing, the poor nags feasted on 
the rich pasture feed to which they had come. Our experience 
had been observed by the whole line of drivers and they profited 
by our experience and sent a man to look out a more safe bank 
for dri\dng down and soon the entire procession of teams was 
halted in the grazing ground. 

The daily routine of work was now becoming almost be- 
yond the strength of our poor teams to accomplish and yet it 
was impossible to stop. We must either forge our way or take 
the risk of staying over winter in these lone wild mountains. 

In fording this stream several of the wagons were over- 
turned and some valuable stores were lost, yet, by patient per- 
severence and quick thought father saved most every valuable 
article and lost only of food stuffs. This loss was due to the 
reckless driving of a hired man. My husband crossed without 
an accident. In case a stream was very treacherous, as to hid- 
den rocks, I would ride in front and discover hidden boulders, as 
most of the accidents in fording streams came from wheeling 
over these dangerous obstructions. 



(36) 



CHAPTER VIII. 

DOCTOR WHITMAN AND THE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY. 

When we reached Powder River we were surprised by see- 
ing a small party of horsemen approaching. These proved to 
be Doctor V/hitman and a party of friendly Nez Perce Indians 
who were coming to warn us of the dangers of the unfriendly 
Indians that threatened our lives should we attempt to drive 
unguarded through their lands. 

Doctor Whitman had been told by friendly Indians that 
Indian spies had already reported our approach, so he and a 
select few had made a night ride in behalf of our safety, coming 
from the Snake River Mission, near where Lewiston, Idaho, now 
stands, down the Grande Ronde river and across the Powder 
River Mountains. They knew that large numbers of Indians 
were advancing across the Blue Mountains to the attack. Doct- 
or Whitman insisted upon a strict military camp and said we 
were subject to attack at any time. I have not yet told you of 
the birth of my unfortunate little brother at the marshes on the 
Malheur river. Father and ourselves were left and the train 
went on. He said it were better for a few to perish than that 
all should go down. Dear mother was very critically ill for 
the most of the next day, and we did not attempt to move her. 
Just before sunset of the second day we espied the wagons of an- 
other train coming toward us. Father rode out to meet them 
and found a royal welcome from the weary travelers who were 
glad to camp with us. A doctor in their party was called in to 
see mother. He said that nothing more was necessary than 
had been done. A night's rest and we were out by 4:00 o'clock 
the next morning to overtake the train, and by noon the next 
day the two companies were united. This occurred a few days 
previous to the arrival of Doctor Whitman. Thus you see, we 
were an unusually large company and the Doctor declared that 
a marked providence in our favor, as we were the first train of 
the year, and he considered the road that lay before us the 
most dangerous of the entire journey, as he described the 
mountainous character of the road that lay between us and the 
Willamette valley. 

(37) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

The Doctor piloted us along the Powder river and over a 
low range of mountains into the Grande Ronde valley. This 
valley we approached by a long winding canyon. The friendly 
Indians rode in advance and their countenances betrayed their 
fear of enemies. Night was approaching, but we were instruct- 
ed to drive until we could camp in the open or level country, 
and by forced driving we reached the Grande Ronde valley by 
4:00 o'clock. 

Doctor Whitman awaited the return of the Indians that 
he had sent out to spy the road ahead, and much sooner than 
he had anticipated they returned, riding at full speed, to tell 
the Doctor that the Walla Wallas were approaching and that 
all the warriors were prepared for an immediate attack. The 
camp was established, about a mile, I should say, from the 
mouth of the canyon, and every precaution taken. The children 
were instructed to remain hidden on the side of the wagons op- 
posite that which would receive the discharge of their firearms. 
No supper was cooked. The men were fully armed and every 
precaution taken. The wiley Cayuse chief gave the best sug- 
gestions in some important particulars. 

Our preparations were scarcely completed when the In- 
dians began to arrive, sauntering up in groups, on foot, and in 
roving bands, mounted on ponies. They were, of course, un- 
conscious of our forewarning and came to reconnoiter and were 
perfectly non-plussed when they saw our surroundings. Doctor 
Whitman assumed command, or rather his cool quick thought- 
edness held the attention of all. He walked out a few steps 
and extended his hand. The chief at first hesitated, then, after 
a moment's consultation with his warriors he assumed a friendly 
guise and shook hands with the Doctor, pretending great friend- 
ship for all his pale face brothers, went on a tour of inspection 
around the camp. That was a signal for all the others to fol- 
low suit and our camp was carefully inspected by each group. 
Doctor Whitman now went outside the circle of wagons and 
stood facing the two Indian chiefs. After a few moments of 
sullen silence one of the chiefs said something about Doctor 
Whitman's business with the train, and, at last spoke in broken 
English. "How you get here?" Then Doctor Whitman began 
speaking in the most eloquent terms of the power of the govern- 
ment and of the harmless intentions of the company. The In- 
dian then took the stand as a lecturer and defied all settlers 
and all authority of government. 

When the discourse was ended an Indian stepped out to 

(58) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

the front between the great body of Indians and the now seem- 
ing handful of white people and filled a pipe with finely cut 
tobacco. When this was done the chief made signals for all to be 
seated and, as the circles were formed, the chief and twelve of 
his mob went to the inner part of the circle and, with the chief 
as a center, the twelve seated around him. He took the pipe 
and smoked a whiff then passed the pipe to the next and thus 
around until each had smoked. The pipe was then passed to 
the oldest white man present and on around until each had 
smoked a whiff. When this was over the Indians arose as to 
go, but Whitman saw the treachery and bade the chief stand in 
his tracks. Most of our people were surprised but some others 
had understood the situation and it was deemed our only hope 
of life to hold the chief prisoner. The wisdom of this was soon 
apparent as all that night bands of warriors kept coming. We 
could hear their grunts of disappointment as they learned that 
their plans were interrupted. 

My husband and two or three others were appointed to 
keep the chief a prisoner. Doctor Whitman knew by their 
signals and conduct that the peace pipe was only to throw the 
men off guard and make a night attack more easy of complete 
destruction. But during this time the Indians knew nothing of 
his instructions and those on guard were not armed but each 
had a trusty attendant ready to hand the gun loaded and ready 
for execution should one signal for attack be given. 

The young warriors were fully armed with guns, swords, 
quivers and with bows slung across their shoulders stood in 
moody silence and watched the leader like birds of prey watch 
the movements of their intended victim, while straggling in- 
solent braves began to march around the camps where an at- 
tempt was now being made to cook some food for the hungry 
children and tired, weary, and now thoroughly aroused parents. 
It was evident that the warriors were only awaiting an oppor- 
tunity to make their attack. By a preconcerted movement the 
stragglers began taking bread from the reflectors. Doctor 
Whitman stood out now in full view and the warriors looked 
somewhat non-plussed. 

Just at dusk the chief and twelve painted warriors in full 
arms came up and seated themselves near the corral. I have 
said that the two or three lead companies of that year were 
massed in one at about the time of Doctor Whitman's arrival, 
so that now our train numbered ninety wagons and over two 
hundred men, each of whom could fire two or three charges 

(39) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

without stopping to reload, as that took some time with the 
old fashioned muzzle loading guns. At that last movement of 
the hostile Indians Doctor Whitman, as commander, now quietly 
ordered every man to his proper position, facing the outer 
world, backs to the wagons, the women and children to remain 
concealed in the wagons as I have described. V/ithin a few 
moments time these preparations were all com.pleted and the 
Walla Walla chief's look changed from haughty defiance to one 
of deep distrust. 

An abundance of light fuel had been placed within the cor- 
ral and the fires were slightly replenished from time to time 
that the dim light of the coals might reveal the approach of an 
enemy from the outer darkness. 

Ere the twilight faded, and as it was apparent that great 
numbers of Indians were gathering within range. Dr. Whitman 
began to talk to the chief of the Walla Walla's. The chief 
made no reply but shook his head defiantly. The chief of the 
Cayuses now spoke vehemently in the style of true Indian elo- 
quence. The Doctor spoke again and again, and the chief re- 
plied, still defying us to go on. Then Doctor Whitman rose to 
almost super-human heighth and, in a stern voice, told them in 
emphatic terms that the Great Father of the "Bostons" would 
send men to defend these travelers, and that ship loads of 
soldiers and guns would arrive to kill all the Indians who mo- 
lested his people on their way to the distant valley. The Cay- 
use chief then arose and pledged himself and his warriors to 
aid the Great Father. The Walla Walla chief then arose and, 
slowly, but in great solemnity of style of manner, took bow and 
quiver, laid them on the ground, and, after he was seated, each 
of his warriors in turn followed his movement, so that at the 
close of the performance the chief was in the center of the ring 
and around him v/ere the twelve quivers of arrows and the bows 
outside. These w^ere the twelve disarmed warriors. The chief 
then produced a long pipe and himself filled it with Indian to- 
bacco, and, after smoking a few whiffs, passed it to the oldest 
man present and from him to the next, and so on in much the 
same manner as the Cayuse chief had done earlier in the even- 
ing. During this time there was a solemn silence, but as soon 
as this was done the chief addressed himself to the Doctor, 
saying that we need have no fear, and that his young men were 
like the "Boston" young men. They would sometimes steal 
something, but he would keep a watch over their conduct and 
return whatever they stole. 

(40) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

By this time signal lights were gleaming from hundreds 
of places on the mountains around and it was evident that one 
signal from the chief would bring the merciless horde upon vis, 
so it was decided that the chief should not return until morn- 
ing, consequently every gun was leveled at those Indians grouped 
near our camp. The chief had pretended the friendship to 
throw us off our guard and was defiant so he demanded the 
body of my baby brother to take with him to their camp. See- 
ing that trouble was imminent Doctor Whitman, by a quick 
movement, placed him in range of a rifle and commanded my 
husband to hold the chief at the point of the gun until further 
orders. The Indian had moved to the front of the wagon when 
he made the demand and was now seated on the whiffletree. 
Mr. Walden stood at the end of the wagon tongue and leveled 
his gun as directed. The chief made an attempt to go. Doctor 
Whitman said, "Move and my man shoot you like a dog." This 
command had its desired effect. The two men stood motionless 
from dusk until the arrival of the Nez Perce chief and his fol- 
lowers the next morning. It was a night of terror to all, not 
a breath of sleep except the younger children. 

Early in the morning fires were lighted and a good supply 
of coffee was made. The sullen and wily Indians came in 
hordes to drink. Meanwhile, the chief, looking like a caged 
demon, scowled and refused to speak a word. All his plans 
had been foiled, but he was conquered. Soon after sunrise the 
Nez Perce chief came up with his men. They had crossed the 
Blue Mountains during the night. The Walla Walla chief gave 
a groan of desperation and dropped his gun. 

The kind old Nez Perce chief shook hands with Doctor 
Whitman, then addressed himself to the sullen chief: "The 
Great Spirit watched the white man, and the Indians should 
know better than kill them." A cup of good coffee was brought 
to the chief before he was released from captivity. He drank 
it and ate the proferred food, but refused to talk to the friendly 
chief. He then walked slowly out to where his pony grazed, 
followed by his warriors. 

The Nez Perce had been sent out by Rev. Spalding of the 
Lapwai Mission, and these friendly Indians brought game and 
dried meats for us, also some tokens of friendship. 

Our fears were now allayed and the anxious mothers again 
attempted to prepare food for the hungry, frightened children. 
All worked with renewed energy. The teams were now allowed 
to graze on the beautiful grassy meadows but a close watch was 

(41) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

kept as there were thousands of Indians to be seen in all direc- 
tions. It was estimated that our train would have been mas- 
sacred before one-half their number could have been in the 
engagement. 

We now drove to the Grande Ronde river and camped where 
that stream comes out from the mountains. When visiting La 
Grande in later years my husband decided that we were on that 
ground for our first camp after the night of terror, and, as 
the whole region was alive with Indians we did not rest securely 
in feeling, although the "friendly Indians" and the Doctor with 
his followers were in two groups near us and assured our weary 
men that they would attend guard duty for the night. 

The next morning we were on our way by sunrise and that 
night we camped in the mountains at what is new known as 
Meacham station. Doctor Whitman and the friendly Indians 
continued to pilot us until we reached The Dalles of the Colum- 
bia at the old Dalles Mission v/hich is now embraced in the city of 
The Dalles, Oregon. 

We passed over the present site of the city of Pendleton 
and soon after leaving the mouth of McKay Creek we took a 
direct course to the Columbia river which we reached some time 
the next night. From there we crossed over sand dunes and 
over the banks of inflowing streams until we came to the De- 
schutes river. This stream was difficult to cross and rafts 
were constructed although a ford was finally discovered. 

We reached The Dalles, Oregon, on the 14th day of Sep- 
tember, 1845, just two days before my seventeenth birthday. 
At the Dalles we found a mission and a few families of mis- 
sionaries. My husband and I attended church there on Sunday, 
September 19th, and heard a sermon by Mr. Waller. Five or 
six families besides ourselves made up the congregation. A 
dozen or so Indians were presant. 

The Indians of the Klickitat tribe across the river on what 
is now known as the Washington side were friendly to the whites 
and brought over boatloads of fresh vegetables to sell. We 
bought peas, onions and turnips from them, also young potatoes, 
as good ones as I have ever seen in my life. The Indians also 
brought nice, fresh venison to sell so that during our week's 
stay our teams and stock recruited and we enjoyed some degree 
of the comforts of home life, only the camp fires could never 
take the place of the Franklin stove to which I had ever been 
accustomed. There was a small store or trading post kept by 
the Hudson Bay Company where supplies could be purchased. 

(42) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

While here we washed clothing, repacked our goods, and, for 
the first time in many months, used the flatirons, thus enjoying 
a good degree of wholesome comfort. 

On Monday, September 20th, a party went out to explore 
the country, and discover, if possible, any route that could be 
traversed by wagons across the Cascade mountains. The re- 
turn of this exploring party convinced us that such an under- 
taking was utterly impossible, except for the loose stock. 

The next plan was to devise some means of conveymg the 
wagons and families down the river, together with the house- 
hold goods. 

Father had lost only one head of stock on the road, and 
one calf born on the road made the herd just as it was when 
starting, one hundred head. It would be impossible to take so 
large a herd down the river so it was decided that father take 
the family and goods down the river and my husband take the 
stock over the mountains. The train was now broken mto fam- 
ilies or groups as the fear of Indians was past. Father chart- 
ered two ship yawls that had been towed up the river by the 
Hudson Bay Company, also three Indian canoes and the Indian 
owners were hired to assist us in the trip down the river. Our 
men went to work preparing these for the trip. The wagons 
were taken to pieces and loaded on the boats. Bales and boxes 
of goods were placed beside the trunks and a large canoe was 
to take mother and the children, Mrs. Welch, a widow lady 
and her three young children, down the river. It was intended 
that I should accompany her also, but my mind was fully made 
up in another way, and, when the time came for action I ex- 
pressed my determination differently as the next chapter will 

show. _. r^ ^ CC 

The Story of the Bear River Cut-ott. 

When we reached a small stream called Bear River there 
was quite a dispute as to the road. Captain Kearney had left 
us knowing that Doctor Whitman and his friendly Indians would 
soon meet us, so we were again alone but no danger was appre- 
hended as we were assured that the first time we would strike 
into a disputed Indian territory would be some where near the 
Grande Ronde valley, and these scouts had gone ahead to m- 
form the Mission of our coming. 

When we reached Bear river a dispute arose as to the proper 
course and some contended that we should turn Northward and 
follow that stream to the Columbia, but the majority decided to 
follow the directions of Captain Kearney and take a direct 

(43) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

course to the Northward across the country to the Grande 
Ronde river. The dispute became heated and finally a small 
party left us shouting good-byes and waving hats, although 
some mothers of that party wept and took farewell with heavy 
hearts. They followed the stream to its confluence with the 
Snake river, then down the Snake river to the Columbia. Of 
their sufferings and deaths the world will never know. And if 
the details were all written we yet could never realize all. 

One day shortly after our arrival in the Dalles a man was 
seen approaching. The sight was so unusual that father and 
some others went out to meet him as his slow and weary steps 
indicated distress. It proved to be Mr. Hull, one of those who 
had left us at Bear river. He was scarcely able to walk and had 
not tasted food for three days. Soon as he had eaten a meal 
and was able to converse he told us that his wife, and five other 
mothers had died. The children and the remainder of the 
party were in camp about a day's travel up the Columbia river. 
They were dying of starvation. Their teams had been without 
feed most of the way and were unable to go any further with- 
out rest. A horse was immediately packed with provisions. 
Father and several others started that same afternoon to their 
relief. They were found just as Mr. Hull had described them 
and by the close of another day we saw those weary, worn trav- 
elers toiling along toward us. 

The story of their sufferings was terrible. One woman had 
died as they were driving down the steep side of a mountain 
and they dared not stop until the foot of the mountain was 
reached and the little company in a safe location on account of 
the Indians. Then the body was buried in the best manner pos- 
sible. Five women died and also several children. The re- 
mainder of the company were almost destitute of clothing and 
had suffered desperately. One woman whose death occurred in 
this party was Mrs. Sam Parker. She left a large family of 
children. The reunion was a time of sadness and tears. Our 
own trials and dangers were vividly in mind and we were just 
resting and giving thanks for all that we had escaped. So our 
sympathies were alive and active toward our unfortunate friends. 
Tears flowed freely and each member of our company vied with 
one another in their efforts to render these unfortunates com- 
fortable. The children were kept together and no family was 
separated but there were many opportunities to assist them 
and it was the delight of each to do all possible for these dear 
motherless children. 

(44) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

It has been said to me in later years that it was from such 
scenes as these that I formed the habit of seeking the needy, but 
I wish to say that the desire to assist the suffering and needy 
was a born gift and with myself and husband there was never 
an opportunity to assist the needy that did not enlist our full 
sympathies and call out our best efforts to aid. It is such a 
real pleasure to make others happy and comfortable that no one 
should neglect the opportunity to do so. 



(45) 



CHAPTER IX. t 

WE CROSS THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS AND ARE LOST 
FOR ELEVEN DAYS. 

My husband and Mrs. Welch's three sons were to drive 
the stock. After some deliberation it was decided that my 
brother, Lemuel, should accompany them. That decided my 
case. I, too, would accompany them. To this there was a 
strong remonstrance but my will was not to be swayed in that 
matter. Mother wept but I told them of my fears con- 
cerning their frail boats to stem the current of that raging 
river, for we had seen the Celilo Falls. Father and my hus- 
band had gone as far as the Cascade Falls. After some con- 
sideration of the matter she finally became more reconciled. 
Soon as all the arrangements were completed we gathered the 
stock, counted them, and started out on our perilous journey. 
This was on the first day of October, 1845. 

I forgot to mention that we were to be assisted by one of 
father's hired men, the same Marion Poe who had traveled with 
us from the first day of our journey. On the day of our depart- 
ure I placed my new Spanish saddle that was bought for me in 
St. Louis, on my strong and trusty young nag, and, with part- 
ing tears and good-byes, we dared the wilderness and the desert. 

We were substantially provided with food as a good horse 
was loaded with all necessary provisions, but on the second day 
out from the Dalles Poe was left to bring the pack horse while 
we were rounding the stock in the direction of our destination 
and again he met a band of straggling Indians. As he at- 
tempted to talk to them they deliberately led the pack horse 
into ambush, and half an hour later we returned from the var- 
ious courses that had called us away and found Poe riding de- 
jectedly along, with nothing to prevent us from starving. We 
would have returned to the Dalles but the others were already 
two days journey down the river and we were not prepared to 
replenish the stores. So it was left us to attempt the moun- 
tains without food, except beef. 

After another day or two we heard loud hallowing behind 
us. The sounds were not such as to cause alarm and soon i» 
was seen to come from a party of five young men and one old 

(46) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

trapper. These parties were not cumbered with baggage and 
thought to go on ahead and select camping places and kill game. 
Learning of our loss the Smith boys kindly divided stores as far 
as we w^ould permit them, giving me nineteen biscuits and a 
small rasher of bacon. A small portion of tea and sugar was 
tied on my saddle so we had a comfortable supper. 

The traveling was slow and toilsome. Heavy fall rains 
were coming on and the steep slopes were almost impassible 
for man and beast. On the sixth day we became entangled in 
a thicket of vine-maples and were compelled to turn back to 
our camping place of the previous night. Next day we found 
it impossible to proceed through the dense growth of Mountain 
Laurel. The cattle ate freely of this shrub and were so pois- 
oned that we dared not eat the meat. 

The old gentleman, Mr. Carson, had been chosen guide and 
he was misled by the Indian trails that led to the berry patches 
far up on the slopes of Mount Hood. So we had been making 
little progress toward the place of our destination. One morn- 
ing we awoke in a blinding snowstorm. We toiled along the 
whole day through without seeing a tree or a spear of grass, 
Our course seemed to be up a gradual steep slope. As night 
was coming on it seemed we must all perish, but weak, faint 
and starving we went on. The stronger men now led the way 
and left relays to shout back so that we might follow them. 
My husband and I were the last in the line. The strongest 
horses had given out before noon and we were compelled to walk 
and lead our riding nags. 

The loose stock became so weak and discouraged that we 
left them altogether, but the poor lost creatures followed along 
for most of the afternoon. Our situation was each moment b%f' 
coming more desperate. The only hope of our lives lay in find- 
ing shelter and wood for a fire. The few pieces of bed clothing 
that were tied on our saddles were wet and our garments were 
dripping wet through and through with the snow that had 
fallen on us all day long and had melted and thoroughly 
drenched every garment that we wore. As the evening light 
illumined the receding storm clouds we realized our hazardous 
situation as never before and we turned our course down the 
mountainside. Fortunately for us there were no shadows and 
the eternal snows cast a white light that was sufficient to guide 
our feet, even after the day had drawn to a close. "We were 
now crossing the line from the eternal snows into that newly 
fallen and, as our weary feet sank into the sand that underlay 

(4T) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

the new snow, hope deserted us, yet on and on we went. At a 
few minutes before 10:00 o'clock that night we were walking on 
firmer ground, the wet snow being about a foot deep. I was so 
faint and weak that I could scarcely put one foot before the 
other and was dragged along by my husband. One man was 
leading a fine young horse of which he had taken great care, and 
leading the animal near my side insisted that I ride. My husband 
lifted me on the horse but not one step would the poor beast 
take although I weighed less than eighty pounds at that time. 
The men then placed my brother on the horse's back but with the 
same result. My husband was now leading me along and lifted 
me over the obstructions of the path. We were of course the 
last in the line of relays and the welcome sound of "we have 
found weed," was wafted to our ears. This gave us a renewed 
energy and by an almost super-hum.an effort we at last reached 
the assembled group. No sign of a fire was to be seen and 
most of the men and all the boys were shedding tears. We 
were told that not a man could be found whose hands had 
strength to fire a gun, and not a dry thread of clothing for 
kindling. All were panic stricken and all hope seemed aban- 
doned. 

My husband had been exerting all his power in assisting me 
along and as soon as he realized the situation he seized the gun 
and fired it into the little bunch of kindling the men had pre- 
pared, but no fire resulted. He now made every man present 
haul off his coat and in the inner lining of Mr. J. Moore's coat 
a small piece of dry quilted lining was found. This was placed 
in a handful of whittlings, and as the gun was reloaded all re- 
alized that upon that charge depended our lives. With almost 
super-human effort Mr. Walden succeeded in firing the gun 
and in an instant the flames burst forth. A great shout of 
thanks-giving burst forth and each poor suffering traveller 
crowded as near as possible to the welcome fire. 

I was so exhausted and discouraged that I sat down on a 
hummock and was perfectly indifferent as to the result. But 
soon as there was sufficient warmth my husband led me to the 
fire side. No sooner had the warmth penetrated my wet and 
freezing garments than such excruciating pains seized nie that 
I was wild ^vith pain and could not forbear the scream that 
rent the air on that wild mountain. There was nothing to be 
done and I had to endure this suffering until the clothing on my 
body was dry and the chill of frost drawn out of my limbs. 

My saddle horse was the only animal that was brought into 

(48) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

the camp and soon my bedding was spread up to dry, and while 
the great pitch pine trees were consumed with fire the group 
of weary travelers were soon fast asleep. Mr. Walden pre- 
sented me with a biscuit, one that he had carried since our 
morning meal, fearing that some such extremity might over- 
take us. The morsel of food renewed my strength and as the 
warm woolen blankets were wrapped snugly around me I re- 
clined near the great heap of glowing logs and felt that God 
in his great mercy would yet guide us safely into the land of 
our adoption. We slept soundly and awoke to find the sky 
cloudless, clear, and aglow with the light of the morning sun. 
The only hope of our lives now lay in the men finding the cattle 
that one might be used for food, as not a morsel now remained of 
any sort and some of us had been stinted for more than a week. 

All arose and, after due deliberation, it was decided that 
I should remain with the two boys, my brother Lemuel, and Mrs. 
Welch's son. All the others were to go in quest of the stock. 
We watched the weary procession as they disappeared over the 
distant slope and the boys would have given up to tears, but 
that hope which precludes despair was ever present in my heart 
and, after obeying the instruction to "keep a good fire and 
smoke going, as it may prove a guide to our return," I proposed 
that we go to the summit of a near ridge and look beyond and 
in the direction of our anticipated home. In our wanderings 
I became separated from the boys. 

My attention was wholly devoted to the majestic hue of 
Mount Hood as seen from that high Southern slope. We were 
far above the timber line and the prospect was great. We 
were at the edge of vast snow fields and looking upward to- 
wards the summit I saw an unusually black looking spot, and 
after clambering up many hundreds of feet I came upon what 
seemed to be an extinct crater, and near what seemed to me 
to be the summit of a mountain. I anxiously hoped to see 
smoke issue therefrom. I sat down, lost in thought and admira- 
tion of the beautiful and wonderful view that opened before my 
eyes. 

The sky was cloudless. The storms of the previous day had 
so cleared the air of dust and impurities that my horizon was 
boundless, and this, my first, prospect of everlasting green 
forests and their wonderful vividness, green on all the near 
approaches and changing with wonderful blend from green to 
etheral blue, and on the distant margin rested the shade of 
blue, so intense, so indescribably beautiful that no power of 

(49) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

words can express the wonderful panorama of beauty with which 
my soul was entranced. Seated on eternal snow, looking from 
over these mountains and hills, across wide valleys into dark 
glens, above the roar of wind or of waters, I was lost in infinity. 

Time speeded by without my conscious measurement. It 
was now about 12:00 o'clock in the day. The descent proved 
long and tedious. I went in search of the boys and found them 
busily engaged rolling boulders down the mountainside to hear 
the crash of their descent and the thud of their landing in the 
depths of some forested canyon far beneath our feet. By per- 
suasion I convinced them of the dangers of their amusement, 
and we walked in various directions viewing the curious and 
wonderful things about us. At some distance from us we saw 
a curiously colored copse and on approaching nearer we found 
it to be a dense growth of small green bushes loaded with 
masses of small purplish berries growing on slender twigs. The 
fruit was odorous and of a tempting look. I feared to eat 
them although they were as fragrant as ripe apples, but, ven- 
turing a taste, I found them delicious. I plucked some branches 
and carried them to our camp fire and tasted them again and 
again until I decided they were harmless. The boys and I ate 
freely of them. Our hunger and thirst was appeased and we 
realized the nutritious effect. We now carried and laid by the 
tampfire a fine stock of the berries to await the return of the 
weary and starving men folks, should they be so fortunate as to 
reach us when nightfall should overtake us. 

Just before sunset the men and beasts were seen crossing 
a distant ridge. Instinct seemed to have directed the weary, 
chilled beasts to climb a distant ridge where they found shelter 
under a towering cliff. The men found them huddled together. 
The horses and cattle were in one group apparently afraid to 
venture out in the snow. The grand rock roof and sandy floor 
protected them from cold and storm, and but for the tinkle of 
their bells they might have perished. As it was they had been 
quite comfortable for the night. Not far from our camp was 
some short grass and leafy shrubs on which they could browse. 
Our saddles, budgets, and bed-clothing had rested safely on the 
backs of our weary beasts. 

Early next morning we resumed our journey, having butch- 
ered a beef which we could not eat on account of the poisoned 
laurel. One of the men had named the fruit which we produced, 
huckle berries, and from these we made our only breakfast- 
food. My own party had been fourteen days with only nine 

m 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

hard-tack biscuits and four small slices of bacon. The Smith 
boys and all the others in the crowd were also about out of food, 
and it was decided to make forced marches in the direction of 
Oregon City, w^hich, from this treeless heighth, we judged to be 
nearly West of us. 

We kept the stock with us until we reached the grass lands 
at the head of Sandy River. Each one then decided to go in 
quest of food as the men were becoming desperate and had lost 
all fear of wild beasts so that even the sight of a grizzly bear 
would not have frightened us. Our horses ware now so weak 
that my husband could not ride any one of them only a few rods 
at a time. My case now developed the last stages of starvation. 

Just after dark we reached the river where it was now 
quite a broad stream, rolling and tumbling over high boulders. 
I tried to urge my pet riding nag into the water but it was no 
use. On the opposite bank we saw a small fire burning and 
rightfully judged it to be some lagging member of our advanced 
party. My husband desired to cross, hoping to find something 
for our starving nags to eat. 

After awhile we heard the sound of a human voice. It 
proved to be Mr. Allen Miner, a young man who had left the 
party early in the morning and had walked all day in advance 
of us. He had crossed the river in day light. He called our 
horses by name and at this they plunged into the raging stream. 
My saddle girth broke and I had to hold by the mane and bal- 
ance myself as Dolly would smm the deep channels, mount the 
rugged rocks or plunge over the sand bars, but, by the mercy of 
God, husband and I found ourselves safely across. Allen had a 
bright fire to welcome us and had killed a bird which he had 
broiled, and this he shared with us. 

We rested until day-break. The horses had lain all night 
by the fire and we had great difficulty in getting them up by 
day-break. Allen Miner now took the two boys, Mrs. Welch's 
son and my brother, Lemuel, and forged ahead in search of food. 
Husband and I went on as fast as our weary limbs would carry 
us. Most of the party reached the home of Peter Hatch about 
2:00 o'clock on that afternoon. They were given some food and 
were put to bed. Husband and I came in sight of their lights, 
for Mrs. Hatch kept a tallow candle burning in the window and 
outside of the house a good fire of logs that we might be guided 
to their place. 

I now took off my blanket dress and put on my spick and 
span new dress and corded sun-bonnet which I had carried safely 

(51) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

on my saddle, and thus arrayed, by my husband's help, I stag- 
gered into the door. Mrs. Hatch caught me in her arms and her 
first words were, "Why dear woman, I supposed your clothing 
had been torn off your body long ago." 

We were seated by the fire. She bathed our weary limbs, 
and after we had rested a few moments, seeing our starved, wan 
look, she apologized for having but one potato baked with sajt 
and a little butter for each. She then entertained us with pleas- 
ant conversation and put more potatoes to bake. In less that an 
hour's time we were served with baked potatoes, meat, butter, 
and a small slice of bread. We then retired for the night. 

We awoke early with ravenous appetites. Mrs. Hatch was 
aware of this, and, knowing the danger of our condition had 
wisely stinted our meals. Our breakfast was more substantial. 
They had beef of excellent quality and on this day we were given 
four meals, and each one recovered from this nineteen days of 
want with no serious after effects. 

My husband and the others were equally blest but they 
did not rest contentedly as all our prospects for making a 
home in the newly settled region was in finding our poor stock 
and teams. As soon as they were able to go on the trail a 
good supply of food was prepared and they returned to the stock 
and were blest in finding every one of the animals in better 
condition and grazing in a friendly herd, horses, oxen and stock 
cattle. Not a hoof was missing and within a week's time we 
were surprised to see them all brought safely to the end of our 
journey. 

Mrs. Peter Hatch continued to supervise our necessities and 
in all the world there could not be found a woman more capable 
and more willing to make her fellow-beings happy and com- 
fortable. Later I shall give a short tribute to this noble lady. 

A few days rest restored the strength and vitality to our 
weary bodies and the first thought was to secure employment 
for the winter. The pasturage was free and we left the poor 
animals to recuperate for winter while we prepared to work for 
Dr. McLaughlin at his saw mill on the Taualatin river. After 
two months work we learned that we were to receive nothing 
for our work that fall and we returned to Oregon City where 
we learned that father, mother, and all our friends with whom 
we had parted at the Dalles, were safely established in good 
houses at the old foundry works on the Willamette river. 
Father came right up to see us and took the stock home with 
him. Mr. Walden rented rooms in Oregon City and we re- 

(52) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

mained there all winter. I had for near neighbor, Mrs. J. Welch 
who afterwards moved to Astoria and remained there a respect- 
ed lady and the mother of a noble family. 

The environs of our new home, surrounded by giant Fir 
trees, the healthful sea breezes, the strange sights and sounds 
were sources of continual thought. The long distance that sep- 
arated us from our old home in the Mississippi valley, precluded 
any form of home sickness and our united efforts were wholly 
set upon the building of a home. 

As yet we had seen nothing of the land claims which had 
been the lure of our most sanguine hopes, but the first effort 
of our lives was wholly devoted to the acquirement of the neces- 
sities of life. 

Of our winter in Oregon City and the subsequent exper- 
iences, I will tell you in the next chapter. 



(53) 



CHAPTER X. 

MY FATHER AND FAMILY AND MRS. WELCH GO DOWN 

THE COLUMBIA RIVER IN FLAT BOATS 

AND INDIAN CANOES. 

On the day following cur departure from the Dalles on our 
perilous journey across the Cascade mountains my father be- 
gan the work of loading all our goods on the improvised boats. 
The wagons were taken to pieces and loaded a piece at a timo 
first. Then the household goods were placed around our trunks 
and chests. It has been well said that on such a journey one 
should take only the bare necessities of life, but in every home 
there are many treasures that are most valuable for their asso- 
ciations than for their intrinsic value or usefulness. My little 
chair made of Sugar Maple wood, a chest of books sent me 
from Massachusetts when but eight years of age, calicoes bought 
during the Revolutionary v/ar and paid for at the rate of $75.00 
a yard was used to make most of my stock of spare quilts, alsa 
many rare bits of needle work, some of which are still in ex- 
istence. These were valued for their associations and father 
was careful to see that not one of our keep-sakes was misplaced. 
My sheetings, pillow covers, towels and all other household linen 
were of pure bleached homespun linen and this was all packed 
in the great Walnut-wood sea chest that had been sent to me 
from Massachusetts. 

Mrs. Welch and her little ones were also aided in the work 
of loading their goods. Mother, you see, was not able to do 
much of this work, besides the care of my little brother occupied 
her time and attention. 

These floats were constructed of Indian canoes lashed to- 
gether. The family and children were placed in the ship yawl, 
as some of the women were too nervous to attempt riding in the 
Indian canoes. There was no difficulty in securing the aid of 
Indian boatmen and on the third day, October 21, 1845, their 
journey was begun. 

After a short day's journey they brought the boats ashore 
and established camp for the night. On the third day they 
reached the Cascades of the Columbia. Here all the goods had 

(54) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

to be unloaded and carried around. A camp was established 
and Indian carriers assisted in the work. They were paid 
wages but seemed to appreciate the food provided them and 
not one instance of dishonesty occurred. Father could speak 
enough of the jargon to make himself understood and they were 
careful and considerate helpers. Not one deserted the ranks. 

After reaching the lower level of the river three ship yawls 
were found waiting which had been sent by Doctor McLaughlin 
from Vancouver to meet any emigrant that might reach that 
point and find himself in need of such conveyance. 

My mother and Mrs. Welch and the children were com- 
pelled to walk the five miles or more around the portage. The 
Indian boatmen assisted the children in this long walk over the 
rugged ground and before nightfall they were safely around 
the Cascades. 

When the goods and family were safely loaded in the yawls 
the descent of the lower river was begun and from there on the 
trip to Fort Vancouver was a delightful pleasure trip. From 
that point dear father and mother looked with anxious thought 
and fear toward the snowy summit of old Mount Hood, feeling 
that their children might even then be forever lost in that wild 
and dangerous region. Mother told me afterwards of her daily 
constant prayer for our safety and father always referred to 
those anxious days of separation with solemn and subdued tone 
of voice, in every note of which he betrayed his earnest feelings 
in behalf of our safety. 

They camped on the sandy beach of the Columbia river at 
Vancouver for several days while father made a journey by 
canoe to Oregon City. While there he rented a good house 
about twelve miles down the river on the West side where the 
old foundry buildings are located, and to these the family re- 
moved and located permanently for the winter. 

I did not see dear mother until the following spring. I 
have mentioned that father had come in the late fall to take 
charge of the stock. Mrs. Welch's sons were soon with their 
mother. Of the others who were associated with us in that 
perilous starving time I have no trace, except the Smith boys 
who became worthy settlers of Marion county, Oregon, but I 
often recall the words of Johnny Moore when he said, "I left 
my good mother and my home in old Ireland to seek adventures 
in the New World, and now we must perish on this snow cov- 
ered mountain. Ah! Mr. Walden, we have wood and guns but 
not a man of us is able to so much as pull the trigger to start 

(^5) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

a fire, and here we must all perish in the snow." But thanks 
to a merciful Providence the fire was kindled, our lives were 
preserved, and we were restored to our friends to begin life 
anew in this beautiful land of promise. 

-i- 

Of those who came across the plains with us I can get record 
of but three who are now living, my brother, Lemuel Lemmon, 
at Salem, Oregon; my sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Crocker Davis, of 
Hood River, Oregon, the widow of Charles C. Davis, an Indian 
War veteran who died many years since. 

My four living chilrden are Nathan B., of Chester, Mon- 
tana, who has seven sons aHd four grandchildren; John E., of 
Weston, Oregon, who has seven sons and one daughter; Martha 
J. Allen, of La Grande, Oregon, who has one son and one daugh- 
ter; Mary A. Bassett, of Chester, Montana. My eldest son, Peter, 
Smith, died at Prescott, Washington, September, 1893, and his 
wife and family of six children reside at Milton, Oregon, where 
his eldest son, John, died soon after completing his course in 
pharmacy. My daughter, Mrs. Rhoda C. Moore, died at Drain, 
Oregon, June 4, 1898. 

While there is no official roster in existence that I know of 
the following names and families come to my memory as being 
members of our party. Many of these people or their descend- 
ants are well known in the respective portions of the northwest 
territory throughout which they scattered. Of course there 
were many more in our train besides those mentioned here but 
no importance was attached at the time to preserving a record 
So memory is the only source I have of giving these names. 
Other things that occurred from day to day so completely oc- 
cupied our waking moments that no thought was given to this 
portion of our trip. 

Capt. David Carson. Mr. McTimmons and familj. 

Mr. L. English. Mr. Peterson and family. 

Kim Stewart. Anderson Cox and family. 

John Stuart and family. Mr. Forest and family. 

James Smith and family. Mr. Frost and family. 

Simeon Smith. Marion Hart. 

Seth Smith. Mrs. Welch and family. 

Saul Smith. John and family. 

Jennings Smth. Mr. Meeker and family. 

Stephen Statts and family. David Taylor. 

J. M. Powel. William Hall and family. 

John Terwilager and family. Mr. Lloyd and family. 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

Joe Foss and family. Mr. Davidson and family. 

Charles Craft and family. Mr. Phillips and family. 

William Taylor and family. Mr. Bell and family. 

Fred Taylor. Mr. Lewis and family. 

Marion Taylor. Vantrilla Quinze. 

Allen Minor. Miles Lewis. 

Marion Poe. Ben Lewis. 

Joshua Welch. Ruth Terwilager. 

Perry Welch. Philander Lemmon. 

John Welch. Lemuel Lemmon. 

Bartlett Welch. John Lemmon and family. 

Sarah J. Walden. Jane Bourne Lemmon. 

Capt. Samuel Parker and family. 

Capt. Lev. English and family. 

William Whitlock and family. 

Elizabeth Lemmon and family. 

Benjamin Walden and family. 

^ 

I have mentioned our surroundings during this winter of 
1845 and 1846. As soon as Spring opened father and my hus- 
band went up the Willamette valley to the old Methodist Mission 
at Salem. They located donation claims on land near what is 
now Brooks Station, Marion county, Oregon. Here two of my 
sons w-re born— Peter Smith, February 24, 1847, and Nathan 
Bourne Stout Smith, September 10, 1849. 

About this time we sold the improvements on our claim and 
moved to the Walde Hills, six miles east of Salem, where we 
located a donation claim and soon had a comfortable home. Mr. 
Walden taught several terms of school and the two elder child- 
ren attended their first terms of school with their father as 
teacher, but a severe illness rendering him a permanent cripple 
came on and financial difficulties were to be encountered, yet we 
were reasonably prosperous and as the years went by we were 
ever blest with every needed comfort. 

In the fall of 1848 father went to California with a few 
others who were allured there by the excitement that followed 
the discovery of gold. He wintered on the Sacramento river 
and the claim only yielded little more than expenses, but as 
the Spring rains came on a sudden rise and fall of the Sacra- 
mento river exposed a bar where the men of that camp picked 
up about two thousand dollars each in nugget gold. Some of 
the men decided to return home and on the third day another 
rise in the river covered the land where they had been working 

(37) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

so they started at once for home. Father brought the gold dust 
and nuggets safely home in a coffee pot and the weight was 
over nineteen hundred dollars. 

In the Spring of 1850 we sold the improvements on our 
claim and moved to the Walde Hills where we relocated on a 
donation claim that was not a full sized government claim, but 
we liked the location much better and as my husband had put 
most all his work on father's land we had not as yet attempted 
to do much in the way of making our home. The new claim 
was alluvial and we soon had a beautiful home place. Mr. 
Walden taught several terms of school and the two older sons 
were started in their school life at this time. Salem was then 
a small trading post with but one store in the town and that 
owned by Mr. Prindle and Mr. Crump. The Mission school was 
conducted by Mr. Waller, Rev. Chapman, and one or two others 
whose names I do not recall, but that school continues as the 
Wllamette University of today. 

By an accident Mr. Walden was rendered a permanent 
cripple and from that time on a severe and arduous lot befell 
us, but by perseverance the three little sons took up their fath- 
er's work and we were blessed with sufficient for our needs. 

In the year 1858 our oldest daughter, Lucy Elizabeth, died 
of Diphtheria, the first case of that dread disease I had ever 
seen. 

In the year 1858 husband's father and mother Walden came 
to Oregon and bought a home near us. Their other son, Smith 
Walden and family came at the same time and settled a dona- 
tion claim adjoining what is now Halsey, Linn county, Oregon. 

In May, 1864, Father Walden passed away at our home in 
his 94th year. He was ill for only a short time and not seri- 
ously but for a few days, but we had them with us to give 
every possible attention. 

Mother Walden made her home with us until her death 
in June, 1875. 

My father died in June, 1870, and mother in February, 1875. 
Father and mother and father Walden are buried at MacCleary, 
Oregon. 

In June, 1871, we rented our farm in the Walde Hills and 
following the advise of a council of physicians moved to Eastern 
Oregon for the benefit of Mr. Walden's health. Mother Walden 
came with us and was buried at Weston, Oregon. My two 
youngest children, Benjamin Franklin and Edmund Burke, were 

(58) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

also buried in this cemetery. The third daughter, Sarah Marie, 
was laid to rest in the Weston cemetery, September 11, 1884, 
and the father and husband of my youth rests with them. He 
passed from earth November 26, 1887. 

Seven years later I was married to Dr. R. Cummins of 
Touchet, Washington, and on December 8, 1913, he passed from 
earth to the Great Beyond. 

I am now nearing the end of my journey of life and as the 
evening shades appear I glance over my past life and, as the 
many vivid scenes are reproduced, a deep sense of thankfulness 
thrills my soul as I contemplate the many trials and sorrows that 
have encompassed my journey of life, yet there abides this one 
greatest of blessings and I have this one great source of thank- 
fulness, that in every vicissitude one gracious presence has ever 
been present in every time of trial to guide, guard and protect 
my life so that I may truly say "Surely Goodness and Mercy 
Jiave followed me all my days." 

May my little book prove of some interest to you and give 
courage to those who falter when meeting the difficulties and 
arduous tasks of life. 

SARAH J. CUMMINS 

-h 

AN EARLY DAY LETTER. 

This letter was two years on the road from Fairfield, 
Indiana, to Salem, Oregon, and was one among the first letters 
that ever came to Oregon by overland mail. It was carried 
part of the way by emigrants then it was given to Kit Carson, 
who carried it as United States mail to California and from there 
it was sent to Salem, Oregon, in care of parties who were re- 
turning from the mines. 

Fairfield, Ind., Franklin County, March 1st, 1850. 
Dear Children: — 

"I received your letter dated April 27, 1848, and was very 
glad to hear from you, and that you are all well and liked the 
country, and thought it ahead of this country. 

"I am well as usual and enjoy a reasonable degree of health, 
although I have ill turns, yet I have great reason to bless the 
Lord for great goodness and tender mercy and compassion 
toward me in sparing my life until the present time, and, above 
all, in giving me a comfortable hope beyond the grave, and O! 
that hope may be an anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast. 

"I hope these lines will find you enjoying a reasonable 
degree of health. 

(59) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

"You say you have not heard a word from us since you left 
Missouri. I wrote a letter and sent it by Mr. Salmon. Whether 
he took it along or not I cannot say. Also Patience and I wrote 
each one apiece and sent it by Mr. Samuel Miller. He, the said 
Miller, went no further than St. Joseph, Missouri. The rest of 
the company from Fairfield went on their journey to California. 
He, the said Miller, told me that he should take his family to 
Oregon and leave them, then go on himself. This is what he 
told me himself a few days before they started from Fairfield. 
Whether or not he sent the letter on by some of the rest of 
the company, I cannot tell. 

"Mr. Samuel Miller, I understand, is working near St. 
Joseph at his trade of mill wright to raise funds to go on with 
his company in the Spring as he found he had not enough to 
go on with last Spring. 

"Your brothers and sisters and families are all well at this 
time. Thomas Crocker has six little children, Joseph, Man- 
ford, Mary, Wesley, Martha and Lucy Jane. Patience has two, 
Hannah Elizabeth and Marion. Your brother Benjamin, has 
five children, Luther, Emily Jane, Hannah Eliza, Thomas Henry, 
and the baby boy whose name I do not know. Lucy Garver has 
two, Joh Wesley and Phoebe Binford. Benjamin and Lucy Gar- 
ver live in Decatur near Clarksburg. 

"Your uncle Peter and family are well. Your uncle Mahar- 
shal Bourne, died one year ago last September, and aunt Eliza 
sold her third to your cousin, Nathan Bourne, as Maharshal had 
left no heirs except his brothers and sisters, so they all shared 
alike in the property after the widow's share was taken out. 
You five children drew five hundred to each one of you. Now 
it can not be recovered or got, unless you send a power-of-at- 
torney to some one here made out by a Justice of the Peace and 
signed by both of you, then the law requires that it be paid over 
to the one so empowered. You can write what you wish the 
collector to do with it and how to dispose of it, or shall it be 
sent to you. 

"The other children are all doing well except Benjamin. 
By some means he does not get along very well although he 
has a fine, industrious, prudent wife. Elizabeth learned the 
milliners and mantumakers trade. She has worked at it con- 
siderable at times. I think it probable that she will be married 
between this and the next New Year if she and Stephen Price 
should live. He is a millwright by trade. 

"David A., I expect, will go to the coach and carriage mak- 

(HO) 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

er's trade and trimming. If he should live until August 13, he 
will be 16 years old. 

"Elizabeth was 21 on last February 25. Thomas, I think, is 
too much taken up with the world. There has been a great 
change in him since you were here. He came to have but little 
regard for the things that belong to his everlasting welfare. 
0! my heart aches for him. 0! that he may turn and live. 

"Benjamin, I hope and trust, has felt the plague of his sin. 
About two years ago he came to be steadfast in the faith. He 
keeps up familj' worship and is class leader in the Methodist 
church. His wife also belongs to the same church. Jacob and 
Lucy Garver both belong to the Presbyterian church. 

"Oh, it is a great comfort to see my children walking in 
the path of holiness, for without holiness no man can see the 
Lord. I would not say that my comfort consists merely in any 
one belonging to a church but a manifestation of their faith 
by their works, for, as the body is dead without breath of life 
so is faith dead without works. They are inseparably connected. 

"David and Patience are members of the church. David is 
too luke-warm and careless, I fear. 

"Now a few words to the professed disciples of Christ who 
despond and tremble when he hears the Master calling him to 
go on to perfection may derive courage and support from looking 
at the promises of Christ and by looking to their author. 

"Among the blessings promised you will find every thing 
which any man can need to assist him on arriving at perfec- 
tion. There are promises of light and direction to find the path 
which leads to it, promises of assistance to walk in that path, 
promises of strength to resist and overcome all opposition, 
remedies to heal us when wounded, of cordials to invigorate us 
when faint, and of most glorious rewards to crown the end of 
our course. 

"You will hear Jehovah Jirah saying, 'Fear not for I am 
with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God; I will strengthen 
thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right 
hand of my righteousness, though thou in thyself art but a 
worm thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small as 
the dust.' 

"Look next at Him who gives these promises; it is one who 
is almighty and therefore can fulfill them. It is one who pos- 
sesses i-ll power in heaven and on earth, one m whom dwelletn 
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. With all this fullness, 
faith indissolubly unites us. 

((il) 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND REMINISCENCES 

"Say then ye who despond and tremble, when you contem- 
plate the almost immeasurable distance between your own moral 
character and that of Christ, what, except faith in these prom- 
ises and in their author, is necessary to support, encourage and 
animate you in going on to perfection, if Christ enable you and 
make you members of His perfect band. If He causes this 
fullness to flow into your soul, then is it not evident that He 
can and will enable all who exercise faith in Him to imitate 
His example and finally to become perfect as He is perfect. 

"This world is the place for labor and not for rest or en- 
joyment which may be found in serving God. We shall have 
time enough in the coming world for rest and converse with 
the saints and it may well reconcile us to separation here if 
we have hope to be with Him forever there. 

"O, that it may be the happy case with us all, is the prayer 
of your father. I shall be 69 years old if I should live until 
the 19th day of September, 1850. 

"Your brother, Elisha Lemmon, and one of his sons took 
dinner with us better than a year ago. Elisha was entirely 
blind but he was quite fleshy and seemed to enjoy real good 
health. His family were all well. Uncle John Burke and fam- 
ily were well the last I heard from them. Your friends are well 
as usual. 

"You must write as often as you can and I will do the same. 
It will be but a short time that I shall be in this world. 

"Oh, that we may all have grace to so live that we may be 
prepared to meet in another and better world where there is 
no more sorrow nor dying, is the prayer of your honored father. 

"Remember me to your dear children. I think of you every 
day. BENJAMIN CROCKER." 



DOCTOR WHITMAN— A TRIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY. 

This man's name should be revered by all, yet many who 
view the monument raised to the honor of his name know little 
or nothing of his real merits. 

He was by nature kind, generous, free hearted, and had 
the true philanthropic love for his fellow beings. 

He was imbued with a deep religious piety that was im- 
pressed upon all who came in contact with him, and inspired in 
all a sincere zeal for justice and right which, combined with a 
noble patriotism, made the love of country next to the love of 
the Great Creator of the universe. 

He braved the dangers of wild and hitherto unexplored re- 



(62)1 



B 10 3. 



OF SARAH J. CUMMINS 

gions that his life work might better the conditions of humanity 
in those places and the Redeemer's name be revered throughout 
all the borders of his native land. 

In personality he was rather undersized and in physique 
neat and trimly built, and would weigh about 150 pounds. He 
had keen dark eyes, dark brown hair and was thoroughly ener- 
getic and self reliant. 

He was ever alert and of quick comprehension and when 
warned of the dangers that threatened the lives of himself and 
those with him he decided to depend entirely upon his skill in 
dealing with such surroundings so made no preparations for de- 
fense, although it is known that he had prepared to take Mrs. 
Whitman and the others of their household to a place of safety 
in a day or two. 

From the time of his advent in the Oregon territory to the 
day of his dramatic death in the Whitman massacre, at the 
hands of the savages whom he had done so much to help, both 
religiously and in earthly ways, no man could rightly accuse 
him of a dishonorable deed or inspiration. I am one among the 
few who still survive those trying times and as I recall the 
greatness of his life work I feel like esteeming him as one of 
our nations heroes who is not dead but gone before. 

SARAH J. CUMMINS 



(63) 




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